The Democratic Presidential Candidate and the former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg met with backlash during his private fundraiser in National LGBTQ Center for the Arts in San Francisco on Friday, February 14. Two protestors stood up as Pete Buttigieg was asked a question about his husband and tried to disrupt the event.
The protestors in the event were part of a group that was protesting outside the venue asking about questions about his campaign. The protestors were booed down by the supporters in the event and they were escorted out of the centre.
Buttigieg replied to the protestors by saying that he respected their activism, but this is a gathering for supporters of his campaign. He also mentioned that he had just received a question about his husband and that he was really excited to answer it.
The brand that is Buttigieg
Buttigieg is the first openly gay contender in the Presidential election. His career is still growing. He has never given up during any of his losses. But, realists believe that his appeal only reaches the white audience. His target audience doesn't have any other community involved in it. The protestor's dialogue came from deep-rooted needs of recognition.
The protestors outside the event had the LGBTQ+ community asking Buttigieg to recognize the other sections and colours of the community. They said that they are definitely proud that an openly gay man is part of the Presidential race. But, they believe that he could be better. One of the protestors who was escorted out of the venue said that although they are appreciating of his race to the Presidential role they can't understand his stance which is predominantly white, upper-class audience.
Several activists feel that there is a need to ask him the hard-hitting questions. Although he has made several adjustments through his campaign he as not addressed some important issues according to the protestors. He has always pitched for a generational change and his campaign website says, "There is no honest politics that revolves around the word 'again.'"
Sexuality under question
The contender has been facing a lot of backlash from every side. A few days prior to the San Francisco meeting, a radio host asked if the citizens would want a president who would 'kiss their husband' on the stage. The incident's reports came three days after the Iowa caucuses. Although he did not address it directly, he said that he was proud of his marriage and his husband.
On another occasion, a voter declined to cote for Buttigieg when she learned that he was gay. She was reported saying that she doesn't want anybody like that in the White House.
