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Is identity politics failing? During a recent private fundraiser at San Francisco’s National LGBTQ Center for the Arts, two queer activists stood up to question Democratic Party candidate Pete Buttigieg.

Supporters of the Mayor of South Bend, Indiana proceeded to shout-down the female protesters, chanting “Buttigieg, Buttigieg!”

The activists were said to have been asking questions regarding Buttigieg’s husband, Chasten.

Before being shouted-down by his crowd, the two petite Asian females were promptly escorted out of their seats by a tall heavy-set bouncer.

Buttigieg then told the crowd, “I respect your activism, but this is a gathering for supporters of our campaign and I just got a question about my husband and I’m really excited to answer it.” Watch:

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The two activists belonged to group that were protesting outside the venue who are pushing a candidate who they believe is not representative of them or their experiences.

Buttigieg is the first openly gay candidate to run for President in the United States, and has since attracted the financial support of the billionaire ‘donor class’ of American oligarchy.

As one activist named Celi Tamayo-Lee told The Guardian:

“I’m definitely proud of the fact that a gay candidate has made it thus far, but it’s hard to enjoy or appreciate when his stances are so middle of the road and speak to a predominantly white, upper class audience.”

Another student activist, Adiel Pollydore, remarked on the painful irony of an event which cost $250 to attend, as well as Buttigieg’s acute lack of optical awareness:

“We need better, we deserve better …. There’s a level of irony that this event costs hundreds of dollars to attend in the Mission, a historically Latinx and immigrant neighborhood. What does it say that this event is not accessible to the folks that live in the neighborhood where it’s being held?”

For this and other reasons, he has reaped a backlash from the LBGTQ+ community, many of who are not convinced of Buttigieg’s progressive credentials.

The problems don’t end there.

While Buttigieg’s campaign does have the largest proportion of LGBT supporters, according to a recent report and polling data supplied by Morning Consult, Senator Bernie Sanders is the top choice among 34% of LGBTQ primary voters, with Buttigieg finishing in a marginal fourth place position.

Next up in the Democratic Primary schedule will be the Nevada Caucuses, where both Sanders and Biden appear to leading in the polls, but Buttigieg is already cutting into Biden’s lead following two strong showings in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Following Super Tuesday, Buttigieg hopes to be among the top three candidates before heading into the large states of Texas, New York and California.

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