Equality California on False Report Targeting Pete Buttigieg and his Family

LOS ANGELES - Equality California, the nation's largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, released the following statement from Executive Director Tony Hoang in response to reporting that a false child services allegation had been filed against out-LGBTQ+ 2020 Presidential candidate and former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.

"Political discourse is a time-honored tradition in our country, and disagreements regarding public figures naturally come with the territory. But when those disagreements turn into knowingly false allegations that separate parents from their children and weaponize child welfare systems, a clear line has been crossed. Filing a false report is not politics. It is a crime, and those responsible should be held accountable.

It is deeply disturbing that someone would deliberately put children and a family through this in an attempt to score political points. That Secretary Buttigieg is an out and proud gay man raising his children with his husband, Chasten, makes this attack all the more hateful. Child Protective Services exists to protect children, not to be used as a tool for political harassment.

This incident is part of a troubling pattern of attacks targeting LGBTQ+ parents and families. Just weeks ago, a gay couple in West Hollywood was publicly harassed while out with their infant after being confronted with the same false and hateful stereotypes that have long been used to paint LGBTQ+ people as threats to children. Now, Secretary Buttigieg and his family have been subjected to a false report intended to weaponize child welfare systems against them. While the tactics may differ, the objective is the same: to intimidate LGBTQ+ families, undermine their legitimacy, and send the message that they do not belong.

LGBTQ+ people have long been subjected to false and harmful stereotypes that portray us as unsafe, predatory, or unfit to raise children. Those attacks have been used for decades to justify discrimination against our community. Yet the facts tell a different story: LGBTQ+ people are more likely to become adoptive and foster parents, and many open their homes to children with greater medical, emotional, and social needs. LGBTQ+ families deserve the same dignity, safety, and respect as every other family.

No one should have their family targeted because of who they are or what they believe. Public service is not an invitation to weaponize someone's spouse or children, and political disagreements should never come at the expense of a family's safety or privacy. Personal safety is not a partisan issue, and every family deserves to live free from intimidation and harassment."

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