Pete Buttigieg, and The Powerful Gay Meang of His Printial Run

Contents:

• THE POWERFUL GAY MEANG OF PETE BUTTIGIEG’S PRINTIAL RUNGAME-CHANGERTHE BATE OVER THE KD OF GAY NDIDATE PETE BUTTIGIEG WAS UNFAIRLY OBSCURED HIS BRAVERY, AND HIS PRINTIAL N’S HISTORIC SIGNIFINCE. IT SHOULD NOT UNRME S LEGACY.TIM TEEMANSENR EDOR AND WRERUPDATED MAR. 02, 2020 11:00PM EST / PUBLISHED MAR. 01, 2020 10:19PM EST OPNW MCNAMEE/GETTYTHE OPN PIEC, THE SOCIAL MEDIA AS, THE TRA-LGBTQ DISAGREEMENTS OVER PETE BUTTIGIEG AND WHAT HE MEANT AS A GAY PRINTIAL NDIDATE HAVE SPANNED THE MONTHS OF HIS HISTORY-MAKG N FOR OFFICE, WHICH END ON SUNDAY NIGHT.IT HAS BEEN, SIMPLY PUT, EXHSTG AND NOT A LTLE PRSG, WH BUTTIGIEG’S NDIDACY SEEN STARKLY POLARIZED TERMS: A CELEBRATN OF PROGRS OR AN DICTMENT OF HETERONORMATIVY; A GAY MAN STANDG ON THE AMERIN NATNAL STAGE, SPEAKG ELOQUENTLY ABOUT HIS OWN STGGLE FOR SELF-ACCEPTANCE; OR JT ANOTHER PRIVILEGED WHE MAN ABLE TO “PASS” WHOUT OFFERG MUCH TO LGBTQ PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT WHAT HE IS PERCEIVED TO BE. INSTEAD OF FEELG WHAT WAS—MOMENTO, A REAL MOMENT OF GAY PRI AND POLIL CHANGE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR OF THE STONEWALL RTS—BUTTIGIEG’S NDIDACY OFTEN FELT LIKE A VUPERATIVELY DISPUTED LGBTQ CULTURAL FLASHPOT, A VEXED RUBIK’S CUBE OF BAT AROUND SEXUALY AND INTY WH NO SOLUTN, AND LOTS OF FLHED CHEEKS AND RAISED VOIC.TO BE CLEAR: WHEN AN OUT-GAY MAN NNG FOR PRINT IS BEG JUDGED FOR NOT BEG “GAY ENOUGH” BY OTHER LGBTQ PEOPLE, THAT IS NOT A SYMBOL OF PROGRS OR EVOLUTN, BUT RATHER AN EXAMPLE OF ONE SET OF BARRIERS OF ENTRY BEG SUBSTUTED FOR ANOTHER. BUTTIGIEG MAY NOT BE YOUR IA OF WHAT A GAY MAN SHOULD BE, BUT IF YOUR NEXT BREATH YOU ARE ARGUG FOR THE POWER OF PLURAL LGBTQ INTI, THEN YOU ARE ARGUG AGAST YOURSELF. BUTTIGIEG IS HIS OWN PERSON, AND A SET OF LGBTQ INTI BOTH UNIQUE TO HIMSELF AND SHARED WH OTHERS. IF YOU DO NOT ACCEPT PETE BUTTIGIEG FOR WHO HE IS, YOU’RE NOT AS ACCEPTG OF DIVERSY AS YOU CLAIM TO BE.HIS PRINTIAL N IS NOW OVER, BUT THE BUTTIGIEG EFFECT WILL GO ON. IT WILL RIPPLE OUTWARDS. WHETHER YOU, AS A LGBTQ PERSON, LOVED OR DID NOT LOVE PETE BUTTIGIEG, HE—AND OTHER LGBTQ POLIL HISTORY-MAKERS LIKE DANI ROEM VIRGIA—HAVE CHANGED THE PLAYG FIELD FOR LGBTQ NDIDAT G AFTER THEM. BUTTIGIEG SHOWED WAS POSSIBLE FOR A LGTBQ NDIDATE TO GO FOR THE BIG PRIZE A NVCG FASHN, AND HE SHOWED THE BREADTH OF WHAT THAT NDIDATE ULD SAY OR DO—OR BE— THAT SPACE. AS HIS EXAMPLE ENURAG OTHER LGBTQ NDIDAT TO STAND, THE DIVERSY OF THOSE NDIDAT WILL CREASE. BUTTIGIEG IS A LEAR, HISTORY-MAKER, AN AVATAR OF CHANGE—AND AS SUCH OTHERS WILL FOLLOW HIM. THIS IS, ONE HOP, JT A POLIL BEGNG.HE WAS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY PERSON TO W A NOMATG NTT AMERIN HISTORY, AND ON SUNDAY SAID HE HOPED “WE SENT A MSAGE TO EVERY KID OUT THERE WONRG IF WHATEVER MARKS THEM AS DIFFERENT MEANS THAT THEY ARE SOMEHOW STED TO BE LS-THAN.”HE IS RIGHT. THE SIMPLE FACT OF BUTTIGIEG’S VISIBILY AS A GAY MAN IS, OR WAS, IMPORTANT. HERE WAS A GAY MAN TAKG HIS PLACE ON A PRINTIAL NDIDATE BATE STAGE (AND WNG THE IOWA UC) WHERE HIS SEXUALY WAS KNOWN AND OCSNALLY CENTRAL—A SIGNIFINT STORY, BUT NEVER THE WHOLE STORY. HE FACED PREJUDICE, AND DID SO BY TAKG ON THE BIGOTS, AND WNG, THEIR OWN SPACE.LIBERAL CHATTERERS LIKE TO THK THEY ARE BEYOND SUCH THGS AS HOMOPHOBIA. BUT WHERE ARE THEIR SO-OVER-PETE-BEG-GAY VOIC AS THE TMP ADMISTRATN NTU TO ATTACK LGBTQ PEOPLE AND THEIR RIGHTS? ABSENT.BUTTIGIEG DID NOT JT MAKE HISTORY ON PAPER; HERE WAS A GAY MAN ON THE PRINTIAL MPAIGN TRAIL PROUD OF BEG A GAY MAN WH A MUCH-LOVED HBAND, AND EXTREMELY PROUD OF BOTH (ANOTHER SAD REALY THIS SUNDAY EVENG: AMERI WILL NOW NOT HAVE THE WTY AND ELOQUENT CHASTEN BUTTIGIEG AS S FIRST GENTLEMAN). HOW BUTTIGIEG WAS PROUD, WHAT HE SAID ABOUT THIS, AND HOW HE SAID WERE THE SUBSTANCE OF DISAGREEMENT. OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, I HAVE VARLY READ HE WAS TOO LCULATED, HE SPOKE TOO ROBOTILLY, HE WAS TOO GUARD. WHY DID HE LEAVE SO LONG TO E OUT? WHY WASN’T HE GAY A LOUR, BRIGHTER WAY? WHY DID HE SEEM SO CLOAKED PRIVILEGE?LGBTQ PEOPLE PUBLIC LIFE TREAD TIGHTROP, PRAISED, NMNED, CRICIZED, AND MUTELY OBSERVED. HIS TRACTORS WILL NEVER ACCEPT BUTTIGIEG’S SIGNIFINCE. THEY BELIEVE BUTTIGIEG WAS TOO WHE, TOO ( OLD-SCHOOL, LGUISTIC TERMS) STRAIGHT-ACTG, SOME WAY, TO REALLY UNT AS A GAY MAN OF 2020 MAKG HISTORY. THE SIMPLE REJOR TO THIS: BUTTIGIEG WAS GAY, AND NEVER SAID ANYTHG ELSE.THIS ABSURD LGBTQ PURY TT RANG FALSE WHEN YOU WATCHED HOW BUTTIGIEG SPOKE ABOUT HIS SEXUALY ON THE MPAIGN TRAIL—HONTLY, CLEARLY, AND A WAY NO OTHER PUBLIC FIGURE HAS DONE THE POLIL REALM. NO, BUTTIGIEG IS NOT (IF THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT) THE GAY FOGHORN, REELG OFF DIME-STORE EMPOWERMENT SLOGANS. HE DIDN’T E OUT WHEN HE WAS YOUNG. HE IS RETICENT. HE LOOKS NERDY, AND SOUNDS EVEN NERDIER. HIS ALIGNMENT WH RPORATNS AND THE ARY WAS UNRSTANDABLY ALIENATG TO MANY. HIS FEATG LACK OF NNECTN WH BLACK VOTERS NEVER CHANGED. “HERE’S WHAT PETE BUTTIGIEG DID ON A NATNAL STAGE THAT HIS MANY CRICS HAVE NOT. HE KISSED HIS HBAND. HE SPOKE LOVGLY ABOUT HIS HBAND. HE TALKED ABOUT FAH, A PROVCE TYPILLY OF THOSE WHO SEEK TO PERSECUTE LGBTQ PEOPLE” DID BUTTIGIEG PERFORM SOME WAY PEOPLE FOUND OFF-PUTTG? MAYBE. BUT THAT ISN’T SOMETHG UNKNOWN TO LGBTQ PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE ARE SPAC WHERE WE ARE TYPILLY NOT. AND ALL POLICIANS ARE PERFORMERS TO A LARGE GREE; TV PECIALLY MANDS . MORE PESTRIAN-LY, MAYBE BUTTIGIEG IS A STIFF PERSON, MAYBE HE IS NOT AS EASE AS YOU WOULD WISH HE WAS. IS HE LCULATG? MAYBE. BUT WOULD THAT BE SUCH AN UNUAL QUALY A POLIL POWER-PLAYER? IS NOT A PREREQUISE FOR THE JOB?HERE’S WHAT PETE BUTTIGIEG DID ON A NATNAL STAGE THAT HIS MANY CRICS HAVE NOT GIVEN HIM FULL AND PROPER CRED FOR. HE KISSED AND EMBRACED HIS HBAND, AND SPOKE LOVGLY ABOUT HIS HBAND TOO. HE TALKED ABOUT FAH, A PROVCE TYPILLY OF THOSE WHO SEEK TO PERSECUTE LGBTQ PEOPLE. HE TALKED ABOUT G OUT.HE TOLD A YOUNG LGBTQ PERSON, 9-YEAR-OLD ZACHARY RO, HOW BRAVE HE WAS TO E OUT. HE DIDN’T PRUME TO GIVE ZACHARY THE ACCEPTED, SYPY “ GETS BETTER” GAY LURGY. HE JT SPOKE TO HIM EVENLY AND RPONSIBLY, WHOUT PRUMPTN OR BEG PATRONIZG. AN ADULT GAY MAN SHARED A STAGE WH A GAY KID, AND GENTLY TRIED TO ADVISE HIM AS AN EQUAL. PASSG STRENGTH AND URAGE BETWEEN GENERATNS IS ONE OF THE GREAT LGBTQ ACTS OF LOVE AND SUPPORT. NONE OF THIS SHOULD BE RADIL, FOR SURE. “IT SHOULDN’T MATTER,” PEOPLE EMAIL ME ABOUT BUTTIGIEG BEG GAY AND BEG OUT. “WHO R?” NO, BEG AN OUT-LGBTQ PERSON NNG FOR PRINT SHOULDN’T MATTER. BUT STILL, DO. I WONR IF ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO DON’T RE ABOUT PETE BUTTIGIEG BEG GAY ARE ALSO EXTREMELY BOTHERED BY THE SUPREME COURT CURRENTLY NSIRG IF SHOULD BE OK TO FIRE SOMEONE BEE THEY ARE LGBTQ; AND SOON TO NSIR WHETHER “RELIG EEDOM” N BE ED AS MIKE PENCE AND HIS ILK WOULD LIKE—AS AN ALL-PURPOSE WEAPON AGAST LGBTQ PEOPLE WANTG TO ADOPT OR FOSTER CHILDREN, AND A WHOLE LOT MORE. THIS IS WHY PETE BUTTIGIEG’S NDIDACY MATTERS. BEE IS HAPPENG A UNTRY NOT OK WH S LGBTQ PEOPLE, AND THEIR PRENTLY IMPERILED EQUALI AND RIGHTS. IF YOU ARE SO FORTABLE WH PETE BUTTIGIEG, THEN LGBTQ AMERINS ULD REALLY DO WH YOUR HELP FIGHTG THE ONSLGHT OF BIGOTRY THE TMP ADMISTRATN IS VISG UPON . BUTTIGIEG FACED THE KD OF HOMOPHOBIA THAT LIBERALS LIKE TO TELL THEMSELV HAS BEEN EXTGUISHED. IT HASN’T. IT WAS THERE THE NIGHT OF THE IOWA UC, WHEN A WOMAN WAS FILMED REVEALG SHE WOULD NOT VOTE FOR HIM—UP UNTIL THEN, HER NDIDATE OF CHOICE—JT BEE HE WAS GAY. IT ALL SPEWED OUT PREDICTABLY: BIBLE THIS, S THAT.THEN ME RH LIMBGH, WH A PRELU OR WARNG OF WHAT WOULD E BUTTIGIEG’S WAY IF HE MA THROUGH THE PRIMARY FIRE AND BEME TMP’S OPPONENT THIS NOVEMBER. LIMBGH IS A HOMOPHOBE THE CLASSIC VE, TELLGLY FOCED (LIKE ERICK ERICKSON) ON GAY PEOPLE SEXUALLY, WHAT WE DO TO PHYSILLY EXPRS OUR AFFECTN FOR ONE ANOTHER.LIMBGH DID A VILE B OF GASLIGHTG: OH, AMERI WOULDN’T LIKE THEIR PRINT KISSG ANOTHER GUY, HE SAID. THEN HE JT LET HIS POISON PILL MARATE THE PUBLIC SQUARE. AND THERE WAS, THE KEY TO THE HOMOPHOBIA THE REPUBLINS RELY ON TO STROY NDIDAT LIKE BUTTIGIEG—TO SIMPLY HOPE VOTERS N BE GALVANIZED BY DISFORT AND DISGT. “THAT IS WHAT PETE BUTTIGIEG FACED EVERY DAY OVERTLY AND VERTLY, THAT OLD, NFECTED DISGT ABOUT GAY PEOPLE DO BED, LONG-BAKED TO THE PUBLIC DISURSE OVER LGBTQ PEOPLE, AND THE LAWS CRAFTED AGAST ” IT’S THE OLST WAY TO STOKE HATRED, AND LI AT THE ROOTS OF ALL THE ANTI-LGBTQ POLICI THAT OFFICIALS TRY TO SCRIBE STATUTE: “WE DON’T LIKE WHAT YOU DO BED. YOU’RE UNNATURAL.” EVERYTHG SAID TO LGBTQ KIDS AS THEY TRY TO SURVIVE SCHOOL, AS THEY TRY TO AVOID THE QUEER-BASHER’S FISTS, IS WHAT POLICIANS AND PUNDS E TO STOKE THEIR HATRED AND PERPETUATE EQUALY.THAT IS WHAT PETE BUTTIGIEG FACED EVERY DAY OVERTLY AND VERTLY, THAT OLD, NFECTED DISGT ABOUT SAME-SEX SEX, LONG-BAKED TO THE PUBLIC DISURSE OVER LGBTQ PEOPLE AND THE LAWS CRAFTED AGAST . AND STILL, SPE NNG THIS GNTLET, BUTTIGIEG WASN’T “GAY ENOUGH” FOR SOME. (COME ON, HE EVEN GOT SNIPE-Y WH AMY KLOBUCHAR. IT WAS GREAT TV, AND PRETTY DARN GAY.)MOST POWERFULLY PERHAPS (AND AGA, SOMETHG HE HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN ENOUGH CRED FOR), BUTTIGIEG ALSO SPOKE ABOUT HIS FAH, AND NOT ONLY THAT HE POSED HIS FAH AND S SIGNIFINCE SQUARE AGAST THE FAH THAT PENCE AND HIS EVANGELIL PEERS VOKE WHEN THEY DISCRIMATE AGAST LGBTQ PEOPLE. BUTTIGIEG MA CLEAR HIS GOD WAS JT AS IMPORTANT AS THE ONE THE NSERVATIVE RIGHT WG HAVE -OPTED AS THEIR BATTERG RAM AGAST LGBTQ PEOPLE. “MY MARRIAGE TO CHASTEN HAS MA ME A BETTER MAN. AND Y, MR. VICE PRINT, HAS MOVED ME CLOSER TO GOD," BUTTIGIEG SAID. “SPEAKG FOR MYSELF, I N TELL YOU THAT IF ME BEG GAY WAS A CHOICE, WAS A CHOICE THAT WAS MA FAR, FAR ABOVE MY PAY GRA. AND THAT’S THE THG I WISH THE MIKE PENC OF THE WORLD WOULD UNRSTAND. IF YOU’VE GOT A PROBLEM WH WHO I AM, YOUR PROBLEM IS NOT WH ME. YOUR QUARREL, SIR, IS WH MY CREATOR.”BUTTIGIEG OVER AND OVER AGA SISTED ON OWNG HIS FAH, HAVG PRI HIS FAH, AND BRAVELY NONTED HIS OPPONENTS ON TERRORY THEY VET AS THEIR OWN. AND HE DID WH W AND MISCHIEF, AS WHEN TMP HAD REMEND LIMBGH NOT APOLOGIZE FOR WHAT HE HAD SAID ABOUT BUTTIGIEG. “THE IA OF THE LIK OF RH LIMBGH OR DONALD TMP LECTURG ANYBODY ON FAY VALU—I MEAN, SORRY BUT, ONE THG ABOUT MY MARRIAGE IS ’S NEVER VOLVED ME HAVG TO SEND HH MONEY TO A PORN STAR AFTER CHEATG ON MY SPOE WH HIM OR HER” “THE IA OF THE LIK OF RH LIMBGH OR DONALD TMP LECTURG ANYBODY ON FAY VALU—I MEAN, SORRY BUT, ONE THG ABOUT MY MARRIAGE IS ’S NEVER VOLVED ME HAVG TO SEND HH MONEY TO A PORN STAR AFTER CHEATG ON MY SPOE WH HIM OR HER,” BUTTIGIEG SAID. “SO THEY WANNA BATE FAY VALU? LET’S BATE FAY VALU. I’M READY.”HERE AGA, BUTTIGIEG HEAD TO HOSTILE TERRORY—THE “FAY VALU” RHETORIC ED TO HURT LGBTQ PEOPLE SO MANY WAYS FOR SO MANY YEARS. BUTTIGIEG SWIPED THE FLAMG TORCH AND SIMPLY WAVED BACK THE BIGOTS’ FAC.HERE, JT AS HE HAS DONE WH THE ISSUE OF FAH, BUTTIGIEG SAID A FIRM “NO” AND REAMED THEIR WORDS TO MOCK THEIR HYPOCRISY BUT ALSO TO SHOW THAT LGBTQ PEOPLE HAVE OWNERSHIP AND PRENCE THE “FAY” SPACE TOO. HE WAS DOG SOMETHG EXCEPTNALLY QUEER AND RADIL. “HE HAS SHOWN THAT LGBTQ PEOPLE N OCCUPY SPAC THAT THOSE WHO DISCRIMATE AGAST HAVE LONG SOUGHT TO EXCLU OM. HE HAS SHOWN THAT LGBTQ PEOPLE N DO THIS WHILE KISSG THEIR PARTNERS, BY BEG OUT” BUTTIGIEG’S REER, HIS PRENCE THE PUBLIC EYE, IS FAR OM OVER, AND AS THIS CHAPTER ENDS HE HAS SET A VALUABLE EXAMPLE. IN A UNTRY CURRENTLY UNR THE NTROL OF A VILENTLY ANTI-LGBTQ ADMISTRATN, BUTTIGIEG HAS SHOWN NOT JT THAT AN LGBTQ PERSON N N FOR PRINT. HE HAS SHOWN THAT LGBTQ PEOPLE N OCCUPY SPAC THAT THOSE WHO DISCRIMATE AGAST HAVE LONG SOUGHT TO EXCLU OM. HE HAS SHOWN THAT LGBTQ PEOPLE N DO THIS WHILE KISSG THEIR PARTNERS, WHILE BEG OUT, AND WHILE SKEWERG BIGOTRY SUCH A WAY THAT LEAV THE BIGOTS AMMUNN-LS. NOT GAY ENOUGH? OH, PETE BUTTIGIEG WAS WAY-GAY, AS HIS LEGACY WILL HOPEFULLY SHOW. TIM TEEMAN
• IN STIRRG SPEECH, PETE BUTTIGIEG MAK HISTORY AGA FOR LGBTQ AMERINS AS FIRST GAY BET NOMEE

THE POWERFUL GAY MEANG OF PETE BUTTIGIEG’S PRINTIAL RUNGAME-CHANGERTHE BATE OVER THE KD OF GAY NDIDATE PETE BUTTIGIEG WAS UNFAIRLY OBSCURED HIS BRAVERY, AND HIS PRINTIAL N’S HISTORIC SIGNIFINCE. IT SHOULD NOT UNRME S LEGACY.TIM TEEMANSENR EDOR AND WRERUPDATED MAR. 02, 2020 11:00PM EST / PUBLISHED MAR. 01, 2020 10:19PM EST OPNW MCNAMEE/GETTYTHE OPN PIEC, THE SOCIAL MEDIA AS, THE TRA-LGBTQ DISAGREEMENTS OVER PETE BUTTIGIEG AND WHAT HE MEANT AS A GAY PRINTIAL NDIDATE HAVE SPANNED THE MONTHS OF HIS HISTORY-MAKG N FOR OFFICE, WHICH END ON SUNDAY NIGHT.IT HAS BEEN, SIMPLY PUT, EXHSTG AND NOT A LTLE PRSG, WH BUTTIGIEG’S NDIDACY SEEN STARKLY POLARIZED TERMS: A CELEBRATN OF PROGRS OR AN DICTMENT OF HETERONORMATIVY; A GAY MAN STANDG ON THE AMERIN NATNAL STAGE, SPEAKG ELOQUENTLY ABOUT HIS OWN STGGLE FOR SELF-ACCEPTANCE; OR JT ANOTHER PRIVILEGED WHE MAN ABLE TO “PASS” WHOUT OFFERG MUCH TO LGBTQ PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT WHAT HE IS PERCEIVED TO BE. INSTEAD OF FEELG WHAT WAS—MOMENTO, A REAL MOMENT OF GAY PRI AND POLIL CHANGE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR OF THE STONEWALL RTS—BUTTIGIEG’S NDIDACY OFTEN FELT LIKE A VUPERATIVELY DISPUTED LGBTQ CULTURAL FLASHPOT, A VEXED RUBIK’S CUBE OF BAT AROUND SEXUALY AND INTY WH NO SOLUTN, AND LOTS OF FLHED CHEEKS AND RAISED VOIC.TO BE CLEAR: WHEN AN OUT-GAY MAN NNG FOR PRINT IS BEG JUDGED FOR NOT BEG “GAY ENOUGH” BY OTHER LGBTQ PEOPLE, THAT IS NOT A SYMBOL OF PROGRS OR EVOLUTN, BUT RATHER AN EXAMPLE OF ONE SET OF BARRIERS OF ENTRY BEG SUBSTUTED FOR ANOTHER. BUTTIGIEG MAY NOT BE YOUR IA OF WHAT A GAY MAN SHOULD BE, BUT IF YOUR NEXT BREATH YOU ARE ARGUG FOR THE POWER OF PLURAL LGBTQ INTI, THEN YOU ARE ARGUG AGAST YOURSELF. BUTTIGIEG IS HIS OWN PERSON, AND A SET OF LGBTQ INTI BOTH UNIQUE TO HIMSELF AND SHARED WH OTHERS. IF YOU DO NOT ACCEPT PETE BUTTIGIEG FOR WHO HE IS, YOU’RE NOT AS ACCEPTG OF DIVERSY AS YOU CLAIM TO BE.HIS PRINTIAL N IS NOW OVER, BUT THE BUTTIGIEG EFFECT WILL GO ON. IT WILL RIPPLE OUTWARDS. WHETHER YOU, AS A LGBTQ PERSON, LOVED OR DID NOT LOVE PETE BUTTIGIEG, HE—AND OTHER LGBTQ POLIL HISTORY-MAKERS LIKE DANI ROEM VIRGIA—HAVE CHANGED THE PLAYG FIELD FOR LGBTQ NDIDAT G AFTER THEM. BUTTIGIEG SHOWED WAS POSSIBLE FOR A LGTBQ NDIDATE TO GO FOR THE BIG PRIZE A NVCG FASHN, AND HE SHOWED THE BREADTH OF WHAT THAT NDIDATE ULD SAY OR DO—OR BE— THAT SPACE. AS HIS EXAMPLE ENURAG OTHER LGBTQ NDIDAT TO STAND, THE DIVERSY OF THOSE NDIDAT WILL CREASE. BUTTIGIEG IS A LEAR, HISTORY-MAKER, AN AVATAR OF CHANGE—AND AS SUCH OTHERS WILL FOLLOW HIM. THIS IS, ONE HOP, JT A POLIL BEGNG.HE WAS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY PERSON TO W A NOMATG NTT AMERIN HISTORY, AND ON SUNDAY SAID HE HOPED “WE SENT A MSAGE TO EVERY KID OUT THERE WONRG IF WHATEVER MARKS THEM AS DIFFERENT MEANS THAT THEY ARE SOMEHOW STED TO BE LS-THAN.”HE IS RIGHT. THE SIMPLE FACT OF BUTTIGIEG’S VISIBILY AS A GAY MAN IS, OR WAS, IMPORTANT. HERE WAS A GAY MAN TAKG HIS PLACE ON A PRINTIAL NDIDATE BATE STAGE (AND WNG THE IOWA UC) WHERE HIS SEXUALY WAS KNOWN AND OCSNALLY CENTRAL—A SIGNIFINT STORY, BUT NEVER THE WHOLE STORY. HE FACED PREJUDICE, AND DID SO BY TAKG ON THE BIGOTS, AND WNG, THEIR OWN SPACE.LIBERAL CHATTERERS LIKE TO THK THEY ARE BEYOND SUCH THGS AS HOMOPHOBIA. BUT WHERE ARE THEIR SO-OVER-PETE-BEG-GAY VOIC AS THE TMP ADMISTRATN NTU TO ATTACK LGBTQ PEOPLE AND THEIR RIGHTS? ABSENT.BUTTIGIEG DID NOT JT MAKE HISTORY ON PAPER; HERE WAS A GAY MAN ON THE PRINTIAL MPAIGN TRAIL PROUD OF BEG A GAY MAN WH A MUCH-LOVED HBAND, AND EXTREMELY PROUD OF BOTH (ANOTHER SAD REALY THIS SUNDAY EVENG: AMERI WILL NOW NOT HAVE THE WTY AND ELOQUENT CHASTEN BUTTIGIEG AS S FIRST GENTLEMAN). HOW BUTTIGIEG WAS PROUD, WHAT HE SAID ABOUT THIS, AND HOW HE SAID WERE THE SUBSTANCE OF DISAGREEMENT. OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, I HAVE VARLY READ HE WAS TOO LCULATED, HE SPOKE TOO ROBOTILLY, HE WAS TOO GUARD. WHY DID HE LEAVE SO LONG TO E OUT? WHY WASN’T HE GAY A LOUR, BRIGHTER WAY? WHY DID HE SEEM SO CLOAKED PRIVILEGE?LGBTQ PEOPLE PUBLIC LIFE TREAD TIGHTROP, PRAISED, NMNED, CRICIZED, AND MUTELY OBSERVED. HIS TRACTORS WILL NEVER ACCEPT BUTTIGIEG’S SIGNIFINCE. THEY BELIEVE BUTTIGIEG WAS TOO WHE, TOO ( OLD-SCHOOL, LGUISTIC TERMS) STRAIGHT-ACTG, SOME WAY, TO REALLY UNT AS A GAY MAN OF 2020 MAKG HISTORY. THE SIMPLE REJOR TO THIS: BUTTIGIEG WAS GAY, AND NEVER SAID ANYTHG ELSE.THIS ABSURD LGBTQ PURY TT RANG FALSE WHEN YOU WATCHED HOW BUTTIGIEG SPOKE ABOUT HIS SEXUALY ON THE MPAIGN TRAIL—HONTLY, CLEARLY, AND A WAY NO OTHER PUBLIC FIGURE HAS DONE THE POLIL REALM. NO, BUTTIGIEG IS NOT (IF THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT) THE GAY FOGHORN, REELG OFF DIME-STORE EMPOWERMENT SLOGANS. HE DIDN’T E OUT WHEN HE WAS YOUNG. HE IS RETICENT. HE LOOKS NERDY, AND SOUNDS EVEN NERDIER. HIS ALIGNMENT WH RPORATNS AND THE ARY WAS UNRSTANDABLY ALIENATG TO MANY. HIS FEATG LACK OF NNECTN WH BLACK VOTERS NEVER CHANGED. “HERE’S WHAT PETE BUTTIGIEG DID ON A NATNAL STAGE THAT HIS MANY CRICS HAVE NOT. HE KISSED HIS HBAND. HE SPOKE LOVGLY ABOUT HIS HBAND. HE TALKED ABOUT FAH, A PROVCE TYPILLY OF THOSE WHO SEEK TO PERSECUTE LGBTQ PEOPLE” DID BUTTIGIEG PERFORM SOME WAY PEOPLE FOUND OFF-PUTTG? MAYBE. BUT THAT ISN’T SOMETHG UNKNOWN TO LGBTQ PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE ARE SPAC WHERE WE ARE TYPILLY NOT. AND ALL POLICIANS ARE PERFORMERS TO A LARGE GREE; TV PECIALLY MANDS . MORE PESTRIAN-LY, MAYBE BUTTIGIEG IS A STIFF PERSON, MAYBE HE IS NOT AS EASE AS YOU WOULD WISH HE WAS. IS HE LCULATG? MAYBE. BUT WOULD THAT BE SUCH AN UNUAL QUALY A POLIL POWER-PLAYER? IS NOT A PREREQUISE FOR THE JOB?HERE’S WHAT PETE BUTTIGIEG DID ON A NATNAL STAGE THAT HIS MANY CRICS HAVE NOT GIVEN HIM FULL AND PROPER CRED FOR. HE KISSED AND EMBRACED HIS HBAND, AND SPOKE LOVGLY ABOUT HIS HBAND TOO. HE TALKED ABOUT FAH, A PROVCE TYPILLY OF THOSE WHO SEEK TO PERSECUTE LGBTQ PEOPLE. HE TALKED ABOUT G OUT.HE TOLD A YOUNG LGBTQ PERSON, 9-YEAR-OLD ZACHARY RO, HOW BRAVE HE WAS TO E OUT. HE DIDN’T PRUME TO GIVE ZACHARY THE ACCEPTED, SYPY “ GETS BETTER” GAY LURGY. HE JT SPOKE TO HIM EVENLY AND RPONSIBLY, WHOUT PRUMPTN OR BEG PATRONIZG. AN ADULT GAY MAN SHARED A STAGE WH A GAY KID, AND GENTLY TRIED TO ADVISE HIM AS AN EQUAL. PASSG STRENGTH AND URAGE BETWEEN GENERATNS IS ONE OF THE GREAT LGBTQ ACTS OF LOVE AND SUPPORT. NONE OF THIS SHOULD BE RADIL, FOR SURE. “IT SHOULDN’T MATTER,” PEOPLE EMAIL ME ABOUT BUTTIGIEG BEG GAY AND BEG OUT. “WHO R?” NO, BEG AN OUT-LGBTQ PERSON NNG FOR PRINT SHOULDN’T MATTER. BUT STILL, DO. I WONR IF ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO DON’T RE ABOUT PETE BUTTIGIEG BEG GAY ARE ALSO EXTREMELY BOTHERED BY THE SUPREME COURT CURRENTLY NSIRG IF SHOULD BE OK TO FIRE SOMEONE BEE THEY ARE LGBTQ; AND SOON TO NSIR WHETHER “RELIG EEDOM” N BE ED AS MIKE PENCE AND HIS ILK WOULD LIKE—AS AN ALL-PURPOSE WEAPON AGAST LGBTQ PEOPLE WANTG TO ADOPT OR FOSTER CHILDREN, AND A WHOLE LOT MORE. THIS IS WHY PETE BUTTIGIEG’S NDIDACY MATTERS. BEE IS HAPPENG A UNTRY NOT OK WH S LGBTQ PEOPLE, AND THEIR PRENTLY IMPERILED EQUALI AND RIGHTS. IF YOU ARE SO FORTABLE WH PETE BUTTIGIEG, THEN LGBTQ AMERINS ULD REALLY DO WH YOUR HELP FIGHTG THE ONSLGHT OF BIGOTRY THE TMP ADMISTRATN IS VISG UPON . BUTTIGIEG FACED THE KD OF HOMOPHOBIA THAT LIBERALS LIKE TO TELL THEMSELV HAS BEEN EXTGUISHED. IT HASN’T. IT WAS THERE THE NIGHT OF THE IOWA UC, WHEN A WOMAN WAS FILMED REVEALG SHE WOULD NOT VOTE FOR HIM—UP UNTIL THEN, HER NDIDATE OF CHOICE—JT BEE HE WAS GAY. IT ALL SPEWED OUT PREDICTABLY: BIBLE THIS, S THAT.THEN ME RH LIMBGH, WH A PRELU OR WARNG OF WHAT WOULD E BUTTIGIEG’S WAY IF HE MA THROUGH THE PRIMARY FIRE AND BEME TMP’S OPPONENT THIS NOVEMBER. LIMBGH IS A HOMOPHOBE THE CLASSIC VE, TELLGLY FOCED (LIKE ERICK ERICKSON) ON GAY PEOPLE SEXUALLY, WHAT WE DO TO PHYSILLY EXPRS OUR AFFECTN FOR ONE ANOTHER.LIMBGH DID A VILE B OF GASLIGHTG: OH, AMERI WOULDN’T LIKE THEIR PRINT KISSG ANOTHER GUY, HE SAID. THEN HE JT LET HIS POISON PILL MARATE THE PUBLIC SQUARE. AND THERE WAS, THE KEY TO THE HOMOPHOBIA THE REPUBLINS RELY ON TO STROY NDIDAT LIKE BUTTIGIEG—TO SIMPLY HOPE VOTERS N BE GALVANIZED BY DISFORT AND DISGT. “THAT IS WHAT PETE BUTTIGIEG FACED EVERY DAY OVERTLY AND VERTLY, THAT OLD, NFECTED DISGT ABOUT GAY PEOPLE DO BED, LONG-BAKED TO THE PUBLIC DISURSE OVER LGBTQ PEOPLE, AND THE LAWS CRAFTED AGAST ” IT’S THE OLST WAY TO STOKE HATRED, AND LI AT THE ROOTS OF ALL THE ANTI-LGBTQ POLICI THAT OFFICIALS TRY TO SCRIBE STATUTE: “WE DON’T LIKE WHAT YOU DO BED. YOU’RE UNNATURAL.” EVERYTHG SAID TO LGBTQ KIDS AS THEY TRY TO SURVIVE SCHOOL, AS THEY TRY TO AVOID THE QUEER-BASHER’S FISTS, IS WHAT POLICIANS AND PUNDS E TO STOKE THEIR HATRED AND PERPETUATE EQUALY.THAT IS WHAT PETE BUTTIGIEG FACED EVERY DAY OVERTLY AND VERTLY, THAT OLD, NFECTED DISGT ABOUT SAME-SEX SEX, LONG-BAKED TO THE PUBLIC DISURSE OVER LGBTQ PEOPLE AND THE LAWS CRAFTED AGAST . AND STILL, SPE NNG THIS GNTLET, BUTTIGIEG WASN’T “GAY ENOUGH” FOR SOME. (COME ON, HE EVEN GOT SNIPE-Y WH AMY KLOBUCHAR. IT WAS GREAT TV, AND PRETTY DARN GAY.)MOST POWERFULLY PERHAPS (AND AGA, SOMETHG HE HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN ENOUGH CRED FOR), BUTTIGIEG ALSO SPOKE ABOUT HIS FAH, AND NOT ONLY THAT HE POSED HIS FAH AND S SIGNIFINCE SQUARE AGAST THE FAH THAT PENCE AND HIS EVANGELIL PEERS VOKE WHEN THEY DISCRIMATE AGAST LGBTQ PEOPLE. BUTTIGIEG MA CLEAR HIS GOD WAS JT AS IMPORTANT AS THE ONE THE NSERVATIVE RIGHT WG HAVE -OPTED AS THEIR BATTERG RAM AGAST LGBTQ PEOPLE. “MY MARRIAGE TO CHASTEN HAS MA ME A BETTER MAN. AND Y, MR. VICE PRINT, HAS MOVED ME CLOSER TO GOD," BUTTIGIEG SAID. “SPEAKG FOR MYSELF, I N TELL YOU THAT IF ME BEG GAY WAS A CHOICE, WAS A CHOICE THAT WAS MA FAR, FAR ABOVE MY PAY GRA. AND THAT’S THE THG I WISH THE MIKE PENC OF THE WORLD WOULD UNRSTAND. IF YOU’VE GOT A PROBLEM WH WHO I AM, YOUR PROBLEM IS NOT WH ME. YOUR QUARREL, SIR, IS WH MY CREATOR.”BUTTIGIEG OVER AND OVER AGA SISTED ON OWNG HIS FAH, HAVG PRI HIS FAH, AND BRAVELY NONTED HIS OPPONENTS ON TERRORY THEY VET AS THEIR OWN. AND HE DID WH W AND MISCHIEF, AS WHEN TMP HAD REMEND LIMBGH NOT APOLOGIZE FOR WHAT HE HAD SAID ABOUT BUTTIGIEG. “THE IA OF THE LIK OF RH LIMBGH OR DONALD TMP LECTURG ANYBODY ON FAY VALU—I MEAN, SORRY BUT, ONE THG ABOUT MY MARRIAGE IS ’S NEVER VOLVED ME HAVG TO SEND HH MONEY TO A PORN STAR AFTER CHEATG ON MY SPOE WH HIM OR HER” “THE IA OF THE LIK OF RH LIMBGH OR DONALD TMP LECTURG ANYBODY ON FAY VALU—I MEAN, SORRY BUT, ONE THG ABOUT MY MARRIAGE IS ’S NEVER VOLVED ME HAVG TO SEND HH MONEY TO A PORN STAR AFTER CHEATG ON MY SPOE WH HIM OR HER,” BUTTIGIEG SAID. “SO THEY WANNA BATE FAY VALU? LET’S BATE FAY VALU. I’M READY.”HERE AGA, BUTTIGIEG HEAD TO HOSTILE TERRORY—THE “FAY VALU” RHETORIC ED TO HURT LGBTQ PEOPLE SO MANY WAYS FOR SO MANY YEARS. BUTTIGIEG SWIPED THE FLAMG TORCH AND SIMPLY WAVED BACK THE BIGOTS’ FAC.HERE, JT AS HE HAS DONE WH THE ISSUE OF FAH, BUTTIGIEG SAID A FIRM “NO” AND REAMED THEIR WORDS TO MOCK THEIR HYPOCRISY BUT ALSO TO SHOW THAT LGBTQ PEOPLE HAVE OWNERSHIP AND PRENCE THE “FAY” SPACE TOO. HE WAS DOG SOMETHG EXCEPTNALLY QUEER AND RADIL. “HE HAS SHOWN THAT LGBTQ PEOPLE N OCCUPY SPAC THAT THOSE WHO DISCRIMATE AGAST HAVE LONG SOUGHT TO EXCLU OM. HE HAS SHOWN THAT LGBTQ PEOPLE N DO THIS WHILE KISSG THEIR PARTNERS, BY BEG OUT” BUTTIGIEG’S REER, HIS PRENCE THE PUBLIC EYE, IS FAR OM OVER, AND AS THIS CHAPTER ENDS HE HAS SET A VALUABLE EXAMPLE. IN A UNTRY CURRENTLY UNR THE NTROL OF A VILENTLY ANTI-LGBTQ ADMISTRATN, BUTTIGIEG HAS SHOWN NOT JT THAT AN LGBTQ PERSON N N FOR PRINT. HE HAS SHOWN THAT LGBTQ PEOPLE N OCCUPY SPAC THAT THOSE WHO DISCRIMATE AGAST HAVE LONG SOUGHT TO EXCLU OM. HE HAS SHOWN THAT LGBTQ PEOPLE N DO THIS WHILE KISSG THEIR PARTNERS, WHILE BEG OUT, AND WHILE SKEWERG BIGOTRY SUCH A WAY THAT LEAV THE BIGOTS AMMUNN-LS. NOT GAY ENOUGH? OH, PETE BUTTIGIEG WAS WAY-GAY, AS HIS LEGACY WILL HOPEFULLY SHOW. TIM TEEMAN

By now, you may have heard that some queer people thk that Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and a current ntenr for the Democratic Printial nomatn, is not gay enough.

” I am here to notn that some of thk Buttigieg is not gay enough has an intifiable relatnship to the facts, which are that, for the purpos of this discsn, people who grew up queer this untry fall to two distct tegori of experience. And then there is the other experience, the life of blendg , only to surprise your classmat—or, more likely, former classmat who follow you on social media—wh the revelatn that you are gay. Recently, a iend mentned that, after thirty years of teachg, she had mentned her wife class for the first time, surprisg her stunts wh the revelatn that she was gay—and I found myself momentarily marvellg at havg the optn to e out to one’s stunts or part of his mpaign, and velopg his polil persona, Buttigieg has repeatedly told a pellg story about his g out.

IN STIRRG SPEECH, PETE BUTTIGIEG MAK HISTORY AGA FOR LGBTQ AMERINS AS FIRST GAY BET NOMEE

He also waed until after attus toward homosexualy had changed and same-sex marriage had bee legal more than half the stat and was regnized by the feral ernment—all thanks to the urage and work of people who me out before Buttigieg did. ”What mak Buttigieg an easy and reassurg choice for the olr, whe, straight people, and a disturbg possibily for the queer people who seem to be cricizg him for not beg gay enough?

Tmp issued the remarks the wake of the adly mass shootg at the Pulse Nightclub, a gay nightclub Orlando, send part of the vio shifts to foc on DeSantis, appearg to try to portray him as the paragon of masculy. Transportatn Secretary Pete Buttigieg Washgton on May 8, Vucci / AP file“I’m gog to choose my words refully, partly bee I’m appearg as secretary, so I n’t talk about mpaigns, ” Buttigieg, the first openly gay Cabet member to be nfirmed by the Senate, said an terview on CNN’s “State of the Unn. Christa Phaw, the DeSantis mpaign’s rapid rponse director, bshed off backlash a tweet Friday night: “Opposg the feral regnn of ‘Pri Month’ isn’t ‘homophobic.

”Log Cab Republins, a group that reprents LGBTQ nservativ, tweeted that the vio “ventured to homophobic terrory.

”DeSantis signed a seri of bills rtrictg LGBTQ rights this year, cludg a measure that expands what crics have lled Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law and another that will ban transn-related re for mors. One thg I hope Andrew and I get to talk about tonight is the bizarre rejectn of Pete Buttigieg by the gay left. What mak Buttigieg an easy and reassurg choice for the olr, whe, straight people, and a disturbg possibily for the queer people who seem to be cricizg him for not beg gay enough?

There is an openly gay, partnered man who is nng for print, and who stands a cent chance of gettg the nomatn — and, if he do, beg print. Buttigieg, tth, is a radil ndidate, that he reprents the plete mastreamg of homosexualy and gay partnerships.

If I were a gay person, I would be thrilled by what Buttigieg acplish jt by beg there the race, and beg pretty succsful at .

I would be thrilled even if I wasn’t planng to vote for him, bee Buttigieg’s succs is a good sign of how much Ameri has changed to embrace homosexualy, and gay people — and how quickly.