Pete Buttigieg Sends Gay Teen Activist Heart-Warming Letter

US transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg sent a heartfelt letter to Zander Moricz, a gay teen activist who gained widespread media attention for his part in challenging Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law, praising him for his “voice and advocacy”.

Moricz is the youngest of the public plaintiffs in the lawsuit against the law and is the first out gay president of his school in Florida.

Moricz had referred to his curly hair in his graduation speech, using it as a metaphor for being gay after being threatened by school officials to have his mic cut if he attempted to mention Florida’s anti-gay law.

“After Chasten and I saw your graduation speech earlier this year and heard about your appearance at the Department of Education, I wanted to be sure to personally thank you for your voice and advocacy. Your combination of wit and courage has reverberated across the country in ways that will benefit people you’ll never even meet,” Buttigieg wrote.

Thank you @PeteButtigieg 💜. The fight for Florida has only begun. pic.twitter.com/95LD7VelSa

— zander moricz (@zandermoricz) August 22, 2022

‘Moricz’s Example Would Open Doors For Many Others’

As the first openly gay Cabinet Secretary, Pete Buttigieg noted that his position was possible only “thanks to the activism and advocacy of others who came before my time” and that there was “no doubt” that Moricz’s example would “open doors for many others who now look up to you, even as you are just starting your own path forward following your graduation.”

Moricz shared the letter via Twitter. Many Twitter users praised Moricz for the work he had done so far and the importance of people like him continuing to build support for the LGBTQI community.

One Twitter user responded: “Such sweet recognition by Pete Buttigieg. He is not only an amazing team member of POTUS’ Cabinet but sets a great example for humanity. The LGBTQ community thanks you both and the president for the constant support as our community is always under attack.”

Moricz was invited by Secretary Miguel Cardona to give his original valedictorian speech at the U.S. Department of Education. Cardona tweeted a video of his speech stating how vital it was for people to listen, “When students speak”

Zander Moricz wasn’t allowed to deliver the original valedictorian speech he wrote for his Florida high school graduation because it included references to his LGBTQI+ activism. So, I invited him to deliver it at the U.S. Dept. of Education. When students speak, we must listen. pic.twitter.com/eXrof3naPi

— Secretary Miguel Cardona (@SecCardona) July 15, 2022

Buttigieg Can’t Understand Reluctance To Support Gay Marriages 

Last month, Buttigieg had criticised the GOP’s split view of the same-sex marriage bill, stating that he didn’t understand why “this would be hard.”

The US House of Representatives had in July 2022 passed the Respect for Marriage Act to codify and protect same-sex and inter-racial marriages nationwide. The vote passed 267-157, including 47 Republicans. All 157 ‘no’ votes were from Republicans.

“Historically, rights and freedoms have always expanded, we went from one era to the next. It’s always been more free, and more just — even if imperfectly so. That was before. And the question now is, Are we going to start going backwards right now?” he said.

“It is extremely disturbing, certainly as a married gay man and a member of the LGBTQ community, not only to see our rights coming up for debate once again but to see settled law called into question,” Buttigieg said.