Definitely am not fond of Buttigieg but I found myself disgusted by so many straight & queer activists denying both his gayness and his struggles with both external and internal homophobia. It was an odd place to be in, on one hand denouncing his poor policies & racial records and then the next defending him against homophobia. But then I remembered I wasn’t defending HIM. I’m defending us. Whether we are effeminate, masculine, stealth, out or anything in between our gayness & shared struggles in gayness are not subject to debate. We do not owe anyone a specific level of “acting” queer. 10 years ago, 5 even, a man as heteronormative but openly gay as Buttigieg would never have gotten even THAT far. Despite my dislike for him, I dislike homophobia even more, no matter who its against. It was a complicated place to be because I truly don’t align with him politically. Principles over personality.