In the wild world of right-wing conspiracy theories, a new contender has emerged, and it’s about as far-fetched as they come. The latest claim to capture the imagination of the far-right is that U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg isn’t actually gay. According to this theory, Buttigieg’s entire sexual orientation is a masterful performance orchestrated to catapult him to political stardom.
According to proponents of this outlandish theory, Buttigieg, who served as the mayor of South Bend, Indiana—a city where the LGBT population is about as rare as a unicorn—pretended to be gay as part of an elaborate scheme to enhance his electability. The theory bizarrely contends that his supposed deception was the secret sauce behind his surprisingly successful 2020 Democratic primary run and his subsequent appointment as Transportation Secretary.
The latest vocal advocate of this theory is none other than right-wing podcast host Michael Knowles. On his show, flagged by Media Matters, Knowles—who appears to have gone into the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories with gusto—discussed the latest twist with a blend of skepticism and enthusiasm.
“Put another nickel in the Pete-is-not-gay conspiracy theory jar,” Knowles declared.
Knowles explained that his friend, Spencer Klavan, who has been championing this theory for some time, argues that Buttigieg’s entire persona is a fabrication. According to Klavan’s logic, Buttigieg’s rapid ascent from being the mayor of a town smaller than your average shopping mall to a national political figure must be attributed to his cunning deception.
“He’s a real striver,” Knowles explained, channeling Klavan’s rhetoric. “I mean, for goodness’ sakes, the guy went from being mayor of some town in Indiana to being the transportation secretary pretty much based on nothing. He decided he was gonna run — he was gonna be mayor of a small town and then just run for president. He actually did pretty well. So he’s a real striver. He’s real ambitious.”
Knowles went on to lay out the crux of the conspiracy: Buttigieg, supposedly facing the dire plight of being a “straight white guy,” invented his sexuality to spice up his political resume.
He’s a straight white guy. So he’s got this problem. Right? He’s over there at Harvard. He says, shoot, man. I’m not gonna rise very far in liberal politics if I’m the most evil type of person in the world, a straight white guy. So I need something. I need some struggle. And I know — listen, I know a white guy who’s married to a woman who identifies as queer. In fact, I know multiple straight white guys who call themselves non-heterosexual or non-straight or whatever.” he claimed.
While the theory lacks substantial evidence and has been widely dismissed as an elaborate fantasy, it provides a curious glimpse into the boundless creativity of right-wing conspiracy theorists.
