When I first heard the ugly ordeal that befell former secretary Pete Buttigieg and his family I was so apalled and shocked and I took the time it wasn’t a fake story or AI headline. When I realized that the headlines were legit and the story was real it made me sick to my stomach. Someone called into a fake complaint to the authorities about former mayor Pete doing physical harm to his children. Of course, the authorities looped in Child Protective Services and what followed was a 24-hour cycle you wouldn’t wish on anyone. MS Now did a great job covering the entire ordeal so definitely take the time to watch it.
This whole saga made me sick to my stomach. The idea that one random, anonymous call from anyone could put in motion such a harrowing chain of events blows my mind. I’m actually not mad at the police investigator or the CPS worker because they were just doing their jobs. It seems to me they did their jobs as carefully and cautiously as possible given the circumstances and who the charges were leveled at. I appreciate them allowing the kids to stay with the grandparents before and after their forensic interview and I loved the fact they allowed the kids to “play” and tour the police car the day this all went down. I think it speaks well of the authorities how professionally and swiftly they did what they had to do and then put an end to what was obviously a malicious attack on a loving and stable LGBTQ+ family.
What I want to say to end this post today is to remind everyone about the same lies and attacks that anti-gay haters have been using for decades remain unchanged. They are always the same three lies centered around the same three attacks and while it is immitigably frustrating it needs to be repeated. The attacks on LGBTQ+ always focus on the three biggest myths: 1. We all have, spread, and are dying of AIDS. 2. We are only sex mongers and therefore, can’t have long-term, loving relationships. 3. We all want to recruit, influence, and harm children. These decades-long malicious and evil attacks have been used repeatedly to shame us and attack us and make us “less than”. That’s why it’s always so important to lead out and proud, healthy and loving lives in front of our family, friends, and coworkers. It’s only the light of truth that will keep at bay the darkness of these lies and help to protect LGBTQ+ rights and advancements.
