A pair of activists representing Queers Against Pete were ejected after disrupting a Buttigieg campaign event in San Francisco.
Said Buttigieg as the activists were escorted out: “I respect your activism, but this is a gathering of supporters of our campaign and I just got a question about my husband and I'm really excited to answer it.”
Adiel Pollydore, a member of the group protesting outside the event, told The Guardian: “The people who disrupted that fundraiser were all queer people of color. We're allowed to want the gay candidate who is running to do better and be better for queer communities of color. There's nothing homophobic about that. Pete Buttigieg represents a very small percentage of the experiences of queer and trans people in this country, being white and being cisgender and being a man, being someone who is highly educated. We know queer and trans folks of color, especially black queer and trans folks, live at the intersection of so many systems of oppression in this country. This run for president could have been a really unique opportunity to lift up those experiences and talk about all the different ways we are criminalized and our safety is constantly threatened and we are shut out of institutions on the regular. But this campaign has not been about that.”
Queers Against Pete has a litany of complaints against Buttigieg in an open letter posted on its website, part of which reads: “We cannot in good conscience allow Mayor Pete to become the nominee without demanding that he address the needs and concerns of the broader Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual (LGBTQIA) communities. While many see different issues in silos, we are clear that LGBTQIA people are directly and disproportionately impacted by police violence, incarceration, unaffordable healthcare, homelessness, deportation, and economic inequality among other things.”
