As a new Democratic president enters office, America is starting to see a much more diverse cabinet. We can see an aspect of that newfound diversity in U.S. Transportation Secretary nominee Pete Buttigieg, the first openly gay presidential cabinet member.
Born in South Bend, Indiana, Buttigieg attended both Pembroke and Harvard, later working on multiple political campaigns and enlisting in the Navy. In 2011, he ran for mayor in South Bend, Indiana and won the election with 74% of the vote. Then, in 2014, things started to change.
Buttigieg was called to deploy for war in Afghanistan, and this caused him to contemplate why he had nothing to leave behind with no spouse and no children. “I was forced to confront the reason why I was single,” he told The Oprah Magazine. “Not being single would, of course, mean dating. Dating, in my case, would first require coming out. And coming out could mean losing everything.”
Mayor Pete, as the people called him, felt it was time for change. On the morning of June 16, 2015, he posted an article on the South Bend Tribune coming out to his entire community at once. Text messages started trickling in, one by one, as his friends and family awoke and either congratulated him, or told him they didn’t mind. Not all responses were positive - some were very negative. Regardless, most were full of love and support, and he reran for mayor in the next election and won with 80% of the vote this time.
Now, in 2021, Buttigieg is nominated by Biden for U.S. Transportation Secretary. Despite Buttigieg being gay, there has been little to no conflict regarding Biden’s decision. Paul Taylor, a U.S. History teacher here at Liberty, says, “The fact that no one has batted an eye over Buttigieg’s nomination shows how our country has changed and has embraced the desire for further change.”
Mr. Taylor also compared Buttigieg to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, stating his belief that this generation wants to make a long-term positive impact on the nation. As someone who is Ivy League educated, a soldier, a veteran, a husband, a dad, and a mayor of a progressive city in a red state, Buttigieg checks off a lot of boxes.
“Along with Dr. Rachel Levine's nomination, Buttigieg's participation (with his hopeful confirmation) is exciting. I do believe we will be able to look to the 2020 campaign and Buttigieg's candidacy for president as a milestone,” Mr. Taylor stated.
Additionally, he explained that having more diverse individuals in politics at a national level will reflect future generations entering adulthood. The Biden Administration has already taken a strong stance on LGBTQ+ issues, and Buttigieg’s role will most likely inspire liberal Americans to participate in politics.
Buttigieg has admitted that they have not been free from homophobia, but he has also received an overwhelming amount of acceptance. Going forward, he wants the LGBTQ+ individuals of America to know he has their backs.
Photo courtesy of Michael Conroy.
Sophie Stewart is a staff writer for The Lion's Roar. You can learn more information about her by clicking here.
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