Democratic Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg has said he “won’t be lectured on family values” by conservative shock jock Rush Limbaugh after homophobic jibes about his marriage.
Buttigieg is one of the many contenders vying for the Democratic Presidential nomination against Donald Trump in the 2020 US election. If elected, the 38-year-old would be the first openly gay US president.
But conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh drew criticism for his bigoted take on Buttigieg’s election chances. He said the US is “still not ready to elect a gay guy kissing his husband on the debate stage.”
“[The Democrats are] saying, ‘OK, how’s this going to look?’” Limbaugh said last week.
“’Thirty-seven-year-old gay guy kissing his husband on stage, next to Mr. Man, Donald Trump. What’s going to happen there?’
“They have to be saying this, don’t they?! Boy, can you see Trump have fun with that!”
Speaking on Fox News, Buttigieg responded, “I am in a faithful, loving, committed marriage. I’m proud of my marriage and I’m proud of my husband,” he said.
“I’m not going to be lectured on family values from the likes of Rush Limbaugh or anybody who supports Donald J. Trump as the moral as well as political leader of the United States.”
He added, “America has moved on, and we should have a politics of belonging that welcomes everybody.
“That’s what the American people are for. I am saddened for what the Republican Party has become if they embrace that kind of homophobic rhetoric.
“This election is not about any of us candidates, it’s about voters’ lives.”
Pete Buttigieg wins Iowa caucus over Bernie Sanders
Limbaugh has a long history of vile homophobic comments. Two weeks ago, President Trump inexplicably awarded the radio host America’s highest civilian honour, the Medal of Freedom.
Last week, Limbaugh also raged on his radio show, “I saw a political ad, where Mayor Buttigieg, going on and on and on about how parents in America are struggling to explain president Trump to their children.”
He then held up a photo of Buttigieg kissing his husband Chasten, and criticised Buttigieg for “kissing his husband” in public “frequently”.
“So he says Trump causes problems for parents, what about that?” Limbaugh asked.
According to a Gallup poll, more than 3 in 4 Americans (78%) claim to be willing to vote for a “well-qualified” gay or lesbian person for president.
In a viral video earlier this month, a voter in the Democratic presidential primary in Iowa asked to retract her vote after discovering Buttigieg was gay.
Pete Buttigieg went on to narrowly win that race with a narrow victory over Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.
For the latest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) news in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
