News Outlets Falsely Report Buttigieg would be First Openly Gay Cabinet Member

Annaliese Levy |

Dec 16, 2020

President-elect Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that he is nominating former Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg for Secretary of Transportation, leading media outlets to immediately begin falsely reporting that if confirmed, the former South Bend, Indiana mayor would be the first openly gay cabinet member.

Mayor @PeteButtigieg is a leader, patriot, and problem-solver. He speaks to the best of who we are as a nation.

I am nominating him for Secretary of Transportation because he's equipped to take on the challenges at the intersection of jobs, infrastructure, equity, and climate.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) December 16, 2020

Queerty, ABC News and Pink News all reported that and ABC News went as far as to say that “Buttigieg would make history” if confirmed to the Cabinet.

In February, Trump named Richard Grenell acting director of national intelligence, a Cabinet position. This was the first time in American history that an openly gay person led the intelligence community.

It was reported in February by Queerty, an online magazine and newspaper covering LGBTQ news, that Grenell was the “first openly gay cabinet member in history.”

On Wednesday, Queerty reported Buttigieg as the first “out” Cabinet member.

Pete Buttigieg makes history as first out Cabinet member – https://t.co/xuEX6j47kP pic.twitter.com/MONGNuEmir
— Queerty (@Queerty) December 16, 2020

Queerty is being called out online for the hypocrisy.

"Journalism" pic.twitter.com/x1PVVAsklY
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) December 16, 2020

Lmao you can’t make it up pic.twitter.com/CVROVYKYFR
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) December 16, 2020

Pink News, a UK based LGBTQ-focused news outlet, is also being criticized for similar reporting.

This is actually hilarious pic.twitter.com/ml3c3GquRU
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) November 10, 2020