A pair of activists representing the LGBT separatist group “Queers Against Pete” were ejected after attempting to disrupt a Buttigieg campaign event in San Francisco.
The activists were part of a group of protesting outside the event which disturbed many of those attending.
The protesters say that they have the same issues that members of the “queer community” are using against the openly gay candidate. Buttigieg’s unwillingness to support Medicare for All, free college for all (although Buttigieg does support free college tuition and help for those who cannot afford it) , his issues with communities of color, and his ties to billionaire donors.
“We need better, we deserve better,” Adiel Pollydore, a 26-year-old program director with Student Action who is black and queer. “The people who disrupted that fundraiser were all queer people of color,” Pollydore said. “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,” Pollydore said. “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 ”
The group has no plans to protest any of the other candidates who do not agree with their tenants.
A recent study preformed by the prestigious Williams Institute found that only 6 percent of the LGBT community identify as queer, 50 percent identify as lesbian/gay, 41 percent identify as bisexual, and 7 percent use another sexual minority identity (e.g., pansexual).
*NOTE: Adiel Pollydore and Celi Tamayo-Lee who organized the protest are both Bernie Sanders supporters
Let me guess: Bernie supporters
“The group has no plans to protest any of the other candidates who do not agree with their tenants. ” So they are focused only on Buttigieg for whatever reason…because he’s not progressive enough or because he’s not LGBT-enough for them? If he’s the last candidate standing on the Blue Team, you bet I’ll vote for him. Then we will see what he can do for the LGBTQ Community.
I don’t want Buttigieg as President, but he hasn’t deserved all the mud that’s been thrown at him by idiots.
MJJ is correct. If one does not agree with Pete Buttigieg, one can vote for another candidate. But Pete deserves recognition and honor for the campaign he is running, courageously, as an out gay person. I’m 100% all-in for Pete. All I ask for is respect for him. Vote the policies and character you agree with.
The study referenced in this post showing 6% ID as queer is actually on the high end. Most studies show it in the 1% range. The only other survey coming close to the study referenced above was a Buzzfeed/Critical Inisghts survey placing it at 5%. BTW, these figures include “trans” and “nonbinary” respondents, many of whom are not LGB. LGB identification as queer is even lower, and that includes young LGBs. A University of Connecticut survey from last year, which broke down the responses by subgroup, showed that only 0.7% of gay and bisexual male teens (age 13-17) and only 2.8% of lesbian and bi teen girls identify as “queer.” “Queer” is a postmodern ideology which focuses on marginalization and hostility to community norms. A “queer” identity thus centers his sense of being alienated from his community, and in conflict with its norms. It’s a recipe for an unhappy, unhealthy life. And indeed, “queer” identified youth show poorer health outcomes than LGB youth.