Pete Buttigieg Sends Letter Of Support To Gay High School Senior Who Is Fighting Don’t Say Gay
LGBTQIA+ people in Florida were shocked when Governor DeSantis ratified House Bill 1557, better known as the Don’t Say Gay law. One such activist who has chosen to fight against the law is Florida high school graduate, Zander Moricz.
For his efforts so far, Zander has received a letter from Democrat politician Pete Buttigieg, currently serving as the United States Secretary Of Transportation, after being mayor of South Bend, Indiana, which earned him the nickname Mayor Pete, reports Advocate.
“THE FIGHT FOR FLORIDA HAS ONLY BEGUN”
Zander Moricz was the first openly gay class president at Pine View High School in Florida. He is reportedly proud of his identity and isn’t one to let others dictate his actions or beliefs. This became evident when the senior used his speech at his graduation to advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights shortly after he was instructed not to, reports Advocate.
In Florida, the Don’t Say Gay law prohibits discussions of sexuality and gender identity in schools and Zander’s principal took the time to warn him to not speak out against the law in his speech. Zander is the youngest plaintiff in a case against Governor DeSantis and the state of Florida over House Bill 1557.
Despite his administration’s warnings, Zander spoke on the topic of discrimination and used his curly hair in lieu of explicitly mentioning LGBTQIA+ people, reports Advocate.
In a rousing video that has since gone viral, Zander is shown at the helm of his graduation stage delivering a speech that eloquently tackles the unjust don’t say gay law while avoiding ever saying the word “gay”.
Pete Buttigieg saw Zander’s speech and decided to write him a letter showing gratitude and admiration for the young man’s courage. “After Chasten [Pete’s husband] and I saw your graduation speech earlier this year and heard about your appearance at the Department of Education, I wanted to be sure to personally thank you for your voice and advocacy,” wrote Buttigieg.
“Your combination of wit and courage has reverberated across the country in ways that will benefit people you’ll never even meet and there is no doubt that your example will open doors for many others who now look up to you, even as you are just starting your path forward following your graduation.”
