News

Buttigieg says ‘divisive lines’ have entered Democratic Party

2020 hopeful laments ‘crisis of belonging in this country’

Published

6 years ago

May 12, 2019

**Pete Buttigieg** said “divisive lines” have entered the Democratic Party. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Pete Buttigieg reflected on identity politics in a bold speech Saturday night, asserting “divisive lines” have entered the Democratic Party.

Making a risky proclamation to his audience attending the annual Human Rights Campaign dinner in Las Vegas, Buttigieg said “so-called identity policies” has its limits.

“Because the more you know about exclusion, the more you think about belonging, and we have a crisis of belonging in this country,” Buttigieg said.

As NBC News reported, Buttigieg comments before supporters of the Human Rights Campaign were comparable to a “Sister Soujah” moment — a time when a political candidate repudiates the extreme elements of the party that candidate represents to appeal to a more mainstream audience.

Speaking about the impact of identity politics, Buttigieg said “these divisive lines of thinking have even entered into the consciousness of my own party.”

But Buttigieg didn’t entirely reject identity politics. In fact, he urged for an expansion of that view to encapsulate the experience of both a transgender woman of color and and the newly unemployed auto worker.

“We could also see in our identity the beginning of a new form of American solidarity by recognizing that the one thing we do have in common, maybe the challenge of belonging in a society that sees us for what makes us all different,” Buttigieg said.

That expanded view of identity, Buttigieg said, can impetus for unity as opposed to division and “can tear down the walls” among Americans.

“I’m ready to use my story, my alliance, my energy, and, yes, my privilege to throw myself into tearing down those walls, because I know what a wall can do,” Buttigieg said.

Watch Buttigieg’s entire speech here:

Photos

PHOTOS: WorldPride Street Festival and Closing Concert

Doechii, Khalid among performers

Published

2 hours ago

June 11, 2025

Michael Key

Doechii performs at the WorldPride Closing Concert on Sunday, June 8. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

WorldPride 2025 concluded with the WorldPride Street Festival and Closing Concert held along Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. on Sunday, June 8. Performers on the main stage included Doechii, Khalid, Courtney Act, Parker Matthews, 2AM Ricky, Suzie Toot, MkX and Brooke Eden.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

Baltimore

Baltimore Trans Pride to take place Saturday

Baltimore Safe Haven hosts annual event

Published

5 hours ago

June 11, 2025

Daniela White

Baltimore Trans Pride in 2022. Baltimore Safe Haven's annual event will take place on Saturday. (Washington Blade photo by Linus Berggren)

Celebrating the transgender community, Baltimore Safe Haven, an organization committed to empowering LGBTQ individuals in Baltimore City, plans to host their fourth annual Baltimore Trans Pride on Saturday.

Instead of the usual parade and march, this year’s Trans Pride will be a block party on Charles Street and between 21st and 22nd Streets. The event will start at 1 p.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and last until 10 p.m.

Community members can go on guided tours, enjoy refreshments by local vendors, listen to presenters, and watch performances by special guests.

Sukihana, the event’s headliner, plans to take to the stage to entertain the crowd, along with a variety of local performers, according to Melissa Deveraux, Baltimore Safe Haven’s executive assistant to Executive Director Iya Dammons.

“Some (are) prominently known, some (are) just making a name for themselves,” Deveraux said. Iya is always making sure that community talent is showcased at all of our functions.”

In company with Pride on Saturday, Baltimore Safe Haven will be opening its new building on Friday from 1-4 p.m.

“That is sort of going to be the prelude to pride,” Lau said. “Thanks to Sen. Mary Washington and the Weinberg Foundation, we were able to purchase the building outright, and it’s going to be a community hub of administrative buildings and 12-bedroom apartments.”

Renee Lau, administrative assistant for special projects coordinator for Baltimore Safe Haven, said the planning process for Baltimore Trans Pride began in January, and putting it all together was a collaboration of multiple city agencies and organizations.

“Safe Haven is an LGBT community organization, but we service the entire community, and that’s the message we try to spread,” Lau said. “We’re not just here for the LGBT community. We’re here to spread goodwill and offer harm reduction and housing to the entire community.”

Lau said the organization’s biggest goal for the event is to gain exposure.

“(We want) to let and let people know who we are and what our community is about,” she said. “Right now, because of what’s happening in DC, there’s a lot of bad untruths going on, and the total thing is bringing out the truth.”

Deveraux said having a place of inclusivity, acceptance, and togetherness is important in today’s political climate and the current administration.

“This event will have people seeing the strength and resilience of the transgender community, showing that no matter what we are going through, we still show up,” Deveraux said. “We are here, we will not be erased.”