If there’s one thing Pete Buttigieg knows how to do, it’s blend policy and personal stakes. And, in a candid moment on The Late Show this Tuesday, the former Transportation Secretary and openly gay public figure took a sharp, honest stance on something that’s been weighing on the LGBTQ+ community’s mind lately: same-sex marriage.
Buttigieg, who’s happily married to Chasten Buttigieg, did not mince words when asked if he fears the Supreme Court might reverse its landmark 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges—the ruling that guaranteed nationwide recognition of same-sex marriage.
When host Stephen Colbert asked, “Do you have any sense—do you have any fear that this Supreme Court would overturn Obergefell?” Buttigieg didn’t hesitate. “Sure,” he replied, cutting straight to the heart of his concern.
Buttigieg’s worry doesn’t come out of nowhere. It’s rooted in a broader context where the right is attacking LGBTQ+ rights with ever-increasing vigor, with recent years seeing multiple states pushing for gender-affirming care bans and President Trump signing an executive order that recognizes only male and female sexes. Buttigieg’s worry stems from the fact that the court’s recent track record, which has seen the erosion of many established precedents, suggests that Obergefell is far from untouchable.
“How can we not be worried about that?” he asked, adding a grim observation that the current Court doesn’t seem terribly concerned about allowing precedents to stand, even recent precedents. The implication was clear—what’s next on the chopping block?
This fear resonates deeply with Buttigieg on a personal level who is married to a man. A gentle reminder that his advocacy is far from academic—it’s personal. Same-sex marriage isn’t just a policy issue for Buttigieg; it’s his reality. And if there’s one thing we’ve learned from his time in the public eye, it’s that he doesn’t just talk the talk. He walks it too.
His comments come at a time when the LGBTQ+ community faces mounting hostility, especially in the form of laws that seek to roll back transgender rights. The rhetoric around same-sex marriage hasn’t helped either—particularly with the Idaho House recently passing a resolution that would have the Supreme Court reconsider the legality of gay marriage. According to the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Heather Scott (R), “Christians across the nation are being targeted.”
But Buttigieg’s perspective, rooted in inclusivity, is different. He framed the idea of expanding rights and equality as something that strengthens the nation, rather than weakens it: “The U.S. has always been at its best when it widens the circle of belonging and equality to take care of more people and not less.” It’s a perspective that champions progress over regression.
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So, while many Americans might take marriage equality for granted now, Buttigieg’s remarks serve as a sobering reminder that what we have could easily be taken away. For him and many others, the fight is far from over.’
You can watch the interview here.
Source: The Hill