Pete Buttigieg: On Trans Erasure and “Fake Gay” Claims

Buttigieg calls out right-wing smears and urges LGBTQ+ unity

Pete Buttigieg is no stranger to right-wing attacks, but the latest wave has taken on a bizarre and damaging twist. In a recent interview with Andrew Callaghan, Buttigieg spoke candidly about being accused of “faking” his sexuality and the disturbing push to exclude transgender people from the LGBTQ+ community.

Buttigieg doesn’t mince words about the current political climate. When asked about the removal of transgender references from the Stonewall National Monument’s website, he flatly called it “terrible.”

The former Labor secretary reminded viewers that transgender activists played a crucial role in the fight for rights that benefit the entire LGBTQ+ community, including marriage equality.

“A lot of that was advocates and activists who were transgender in the ‘60s or ‘70s, who stuck up for everybody’s rights,” he said.

He also criticized cisgender gay and bi people who consider distancing themselves from trans people for political convenience.

“It would be politically convenient, honestly, for people to pull up the ladder after them and leave out others, but that’s not OK,” Buttigieg said.

“People have to stick together. And that’s not just across the LGBTQ community. Anywhere somebody is getting beat up, literally or figuratively, because of who they are, I think everybody else has to stick up for them.”

Buttigieg’s call for unity comes at a time when federal agencies, following a directive from the Office of Personnel Management, have begun removing references to trans people and gender identity from official pages.

This move is part of a broader Republican campaign against diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.

The “Fake Gay” Conspiracy

Buttigieg also addressed the relentless “fake gay” accusations pushed by right-wing pundits like Tucker Carlson, who have called his sexuality a “pose” and claimed he’s not really gay.

Buttigieg, who married his husband Chasten in 2018 and is raising two children, reflected on the absurdity of the claim.

“In a weird way, I guess it’s progress,” he said with a wry smile. “There was a time when I would have done anything to not be gay. I spent a good chunk of my life believing being gay would be a career ender.”

Buttigieg recounted his own coming-out journey, which happened after a deployment in Afghanistan, stating:

“I thought, ‘This is insane to be a grown ass man with no idea what it’s like to be in love.’ If I get through this deployment okay, I’m going to come home, I’m going to come out, and if it messes up my career, so be it.”

Buttigieg points out that wild conspiracy theories don’t have to make sense to gain traction. “It doesn’t have to make sense in order for it to make sense to someone. What is important is to say something outrageous enough to get attention,” he said.

On the other side of coming out, Buttigieg found both unexpected support and the ordinariness he had longed for. He was reelected mayor in Indiana with more votes than before, and what he once feared would make him an outsider has become “the most normal thing in my life.”

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Why This Matters

Buttigieg’s story is a reminder of the stakes for everyone in the LGBTQ+ community. The fight over who belongs isn’t just about symbolism or language - it’s about real people, real rights, and real futures.

As attacks intensify on the LGBTQ+ community, Buttigieg’s message rings clear: “People have to stick together.”