Monday, January 10, 2022

Be Like Chasten

A lot of us in the LGBTQ+ community have been subjected to slurs and name-calling, and a lot of us have turned the other cheek, thinking it would do no real good to call out the homophobes and haters.

But times have changed with social media, and the idea that homophobes and bigos and haters can call you names from the comfort of their own mother’s basement, and some of us still choose to do nothing.

Enter Chasten Buttigieg. A homophobic troll left an insulting comment on a photo of Chasten and his family, and Chasten didn’t let him get away with it.

Last week, Chasten posted that photo with his husband and Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, and their twins, Penelope Rose and Joseph August, at the White House, posting:

“2021 brought with it many challenges, but it also gave us a lot to be grateful for. Happy New Year, friends. Here’s to a peaceful and joyful 2022!”
Most people who commented loved the photo of the happy family, but some didn’t and one, Andre Kravchenko, left a nasty comment:
“Someone actually gave these [censored] kids??? Holy [censored].”
Note: Chasten, who posted a screenshot of the censored comment—though I imagine we all know what words were used—wrote:
“In the year 2022, you’d think these people would be wise enough to post their homophobia from an alt account, not one easily connected to their job. Rather embarrassing for @americanhomes4rent, a company that claims to be an equal housing provider and one that’s ‘building a culture of inclusion and belonging.’ I worry for your tenants.”
And that sent Buttigieg supporters posting comments on posts by American Homes 4 Rent calling out their homophobic employee, which prompted the company to issue a statement emphasizing its commitment to diversity and inclusion and clarifying that despite what it said on Kravchenko’s LinkedIn profile, he has not worked for the company for over five years.

Kravchenko was actually employed by Seattle company Skyline Properties, who at first issued a statement that Chasten did not approve of:

“To all who are posting, Skyline could not possibly know what 1,200 of our independent contractors could be doing at any given moment. There is no way on gods green earth that you, me air [sic] anyone else could know in advance what someone might think or post. Now that I am aware of the post I will have a conversation with the broker. Thank our for letting me know.”
Oh, do not come for Chasten Buttigieg like that: he posted the comment and said:
“This defensive response tells us exactly how that ‘conversation’ is going to go.”
After that the Skyline Instagram account released a more official statement:
“After spending time to properly review the comments made by this individual, we have found that this was not some fluke, mistake, or hacking situation, and have promptly FIRED him from Skyline Properties. That being said, we would like to sincerely apologize to the Buttigieg family and the LGBTQ+ community for any harm that came from the bigotry of this individual. We do not tolerate ANY hate speech of any kind, nor do we have a place for ANY brokers who participate in such hateful behaviors. We must be as clear as possible when we say we have zero tolerance towards this behavior.”
And that’s how you stand up to bigots and their hate speech. Anyone can feel however they choose about the LGBTQ+ community, or People of Color, or Jews or Muslims, or … whomever. But when you post that kind of hate-filled speech, there will be consequences.

Speech is free, but the consequences can cost.

18 comments:

  1. Wow... never mess with a papa bear. Well.. not in this way. Kizzes.

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  2. LMAO!!!!!

    These bigots by now should have learned a lesson. Have some respect.

    Never trifle with us queens.

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  3. Sadly, I'm sure Kravechenko will simply move on to another job without learning anything. These people rarely do.

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  4. (Chasten, Pete, Penelope, Joseph)
    xoxo :-)

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  5. Surely it is better for children to live in a house where love is, rather than in a home where they are abused, starved or even tortured? Too many children die because the unnatural parents treat their children in ways that make us weep and would be beyond belief if it didn't happen so often. So hooray for parents like the Buttigiegs who love their new families and we hope they live happy ever after.

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  6. Skepticat12:16 PM

    Huzzah

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  7. @Helen- Your comment brings to mind why most of the right-wing conservative politicians and religious people get on my nerves about abortions. They want life and bring the baby into life, and get all worked up over aborting a baby, regardless of if it is painful for the woman, like the result of a rape, or what kind of struggle it will have with birth defects or health issues. But by god, when it's born, it's on its own. Never mind what kind of home it ends up in. If a child finds a loving home, they should be just happy with that.

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    Replies
    1. You speak the truth here! Thank you!

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  8. Honestly, what is wrong with people? How could that guy not anticipate that there would be consequences to mouthing off like that? We may never change his mind, but hopefully he's learned to keep his retrograde bigotry to himself.

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  9. A reason I keep my bisexuality private to most

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  10. Whoa. Awesome instant karma. Thanks for tagging the little shit, and I hope this story follows Andre Kravchenko all his life (because I'm vengeful and he deserves it).

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  11. @upton
    Yes sir!

    @Maddie
    Don’t come for us, unless we send for you.

    @Boots
    Chasten did it up good!

    @Dave
    Well then he can live a life of ignorance until the day he dies.

    @TDM
    Love.

    @Helen
    There are some folks who cannot accept that families don’t look like they did for so many years. Well, too bad for them; get used to it, or get out of the way, and keep your bigotry to yourself!

    @Skepticat
    Yes, huzzah!

    @Maddie
    The GOP cares about the unborn, not the born.

    @Marcia
    Thank you. Thanks to Chasten.

    @Debra
    I really REALLY like Chasten for this, among other things.

    @Steve
    I think people think on Twitter or Instagram they are somehow hidden? Or, if not, they’re just that ignorant.

    @Adam
    But you shouldn’t have to just because jackasses like this exist.

    @Vivian Swift
    If Kravchenko feels this way then he needs to own it and all the consequences that follow!!

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  12. Chasten Buttigieg is a wise man with two adorable and fortunate kids.

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  13. Yay that the Mic was dropped on that Hate filled Fool... yes, Speech is free but consequences can Cost and should, always, for actions and words that have no place in civil Society.

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Say anything, but keep it civil .......