Speaking with The Guardian, Buttigieg discusses the importance of voting within the LGBTQ+ community.
“When you see your own rights come up for debate, when you know something as intimate and central to your life as the existence of your family is something that is not supported by your president, and certainly your vice-president it’s painful,” the former candidate says.
Pete Buttigieg made history as the first openly gay Democratic candidate to run for president.
He continued: “It creates a sense of urgency that I hope will motivate many people – including a lot of the LGBTQ younger people who maybe weren’t deciding so much how to vote as they were whether to vote – to see now is the time to vote like your life depends on it.”
Fears of Trump securing a second presidential term has plagued LGBTQ+ activists and political figures for months now.
Over the last four years, the Trump administration has made numerous decisions that have negatively impacted the LGBTQ+ community.
From banning trans people from serving in the military to potentially allowing doctors and medical insurance companies the right to refuse service to LGBTQ+ people, the list of discrimination and hate has been frequent and unjust.
The former mayor touches on the lack of LGBTQ+ support in the U.S. and its damaging effects worldwide.
“Also around the world, were seeing, for example in eastern Europe, really disturbing setbacks in LGBTQ rights and equality without a strong United States leading the way in human rights,” hey says.
“Which requires leadership and credibility and also that we’re doing the right thing here at home. Without that, I think that people around the world are less safe.”
Although the dark cloud of a potential second term looms, Buttigieg has hope and support for Joe Biden and his campaign, saying: “One thing I really appreciate about him is how intentional and direct he’s been about the transformational presidency that he can build,”
“You can see in the campaign the attention he puts into reaching out to different generations I think his presidency will do the same.”
Related: Pete Buttigieg ends historic campaign for president of the United States.
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