Pete Buttigieg, the former Mayor of South Bend Indiana broke through another glass ceiling today when he became he first out LGBT+ person confirmed to serve in the US Cabinet. The new Transportation Secretary was confirmed with overwhelming support from the Senate who voted 87-13 to approve him. Only retired general and incoming defense secretary Lloyd Austin got more support than him.
Little known to the outside world until April 2019 when he became the first openly gay person to launch a major presidential campaign Buttigieg quickly won the hearts and minds of so many Americans. He made another ‘first’ as an LGBTQ politician when he went on to win the Iowa caucus and and coming a close second in the New Hampshire primary.
He endeared himself to even more Democrats when he dropped out of the race in March 2020 and immediately endorsed Joe Biden for President. Buttigieg campaigned passionately for Biden, and proved to be a fearless and articulate spokesman who refused to be rattled by any opposition especially when they included thinly veiled rampant homophobia.
Now in charge in charge of a department with a $72 billion budget and 58,000-strong workforce., Buttigieg is in a position play an effective rile n pushing Biden‘s progressive agenda of restoring the country’s infrastructure. Plus help to fulfill the new president’s climate change promises.
Congrats Secretary Buttigieg we know that this is just another step forward for you personally, and as a standard bearer for our community at large.