Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and his husband Chasten Glexman Buttigieg are going to become parents. The secretary shared the good news to his followers on social media and said they have always wanted to expand their family.
In a post on Twitter, Buttigieg said that while they can't wait to share more about their child, the adoption process is not yet over. He also thanked his followers for the "love, support, and respect for our privacy" during this period.
In July, Chasten told The Washington Post that they are going through an adoption process and have done parenting workshops and home studies on family courses. They have secured a spot on a list to enable them to adopt an abandoned baby on short notice. They are also on another anonymous adoption process that will allow the mother to choose them beforehand.
The Buttigiegs had some close calls in the past. More recently, they received a call early this summer from the adoption agency informing them of a mom who intended to put her baby up for adoption. However, as the pair prepared for their interstate travel, the agency called again and said that the mom changed her mind.
For some time, Chasten and I have wanted to grow our family. We’re overjoyed to share that we’ve become parents! The process isn’t done yet and we’re thankful for the love, support, and respect for our privacy that has been offered to us. We can’t wait to share more soon.
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) August 17, 2021
In 2020, Chasten, a writer, told USA Today that they have been thinking of starting a family after discussing how to navigate the adoption process with friends. At that time, Chasten said they were still trying to figure out the best option for them. Buttigieg also told People during the 2020 presidential campaign that the next chapter of their lives together will be all about the children.
First Openly Gay Member of the Cabinet
Pete Buttigieg is the first openly gay member of the U.S. Cabinet who married his partner in 2018. In a feature in New York Times, the official said that it took him almost a decade to embrace his real identity as a gay man after leaving Harvard. He felt that his sexuality was going to be a death sentence for his career.
As he pursued a high-profile life as a public servant, Pete said that he tried to hide his real identity by joining the military and dating women. He became the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, before he reached 30 and came out publicly at 33 years old in 2015.
He said that had he pursued a career in the arts or even the financial industry, coming out as a gay man would be easier. He avoided being labeled as the "gay politician," but people close to him said that regardless of who he was, politics was going to be his path.
After coming out, the secretary said that he had been amazed by how much the world has treated gay men like him.
Outpouring of Support
Following their parenting announcement, the Buttigieg couple received such an outpouring of support from social media, with First Lady Jill Biden leading the message of congratulations. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said that it's such terrific news for the couple. Lis Smith, a member of Pete's communication team during his 2020 presidential bid, also reshared the post and said that the Buttigieg couple would be "the best dads."
It comes as the couple moved to Washington, D.C., from Indiana as Pete joined the Biden cabinet. The pair sold their 1905 neoclassical home that was near Pete's childhood house. The soon-to-be parents have an apartment in Washington and a vacation house near Michigan, Chasten's hometown, which they plan on refurbishing.
