Buttigieg’s Salvation Army service sets off alarm bells with gays

“Mayor Pete” Buttigieg, a Democratic presidential candidate gay enough to have his own husband, is facing a severe backlash from the LGBT community and gay activists for … not being gay enough.

Buttigieg’s crime was volunteering with the Salvation Army in the past, and letting it be photographed.

Out.com, an outlet steeped in LGBT issues, published an article this week titled, “Pete Buttigieg Volunteered for the Homophobic Salvation Army.” It turns out Buttigieg volunteered as recently as 2017 to be a “bell ringer” at a Salvation Army donation post, a common sight outside stores around Christmastime.

As a Protestant Christian church and an international charitable organization, the Salvation Army can legally ask about people’s religious beliefs in the hiring process. This could include their sexuality.

The organization says it is not against hiring gays and lesbians, but it has in the past supported legislation that would allow it to deny employment and its federally-funded services to LGBTQ individuals.

Now activists for LGBTQ issues are denouncing Buttigieg on social media.

‘I know the photos are two years old, but still, I can’t help but wonder if Mayor Pete just looks at what LGBTQ activists have been working on for years and then chooses to spite it (e.g. Salvation Army, Chick-fil-A, queer media in general, etc.),’ tweeted Zach Ford, press secretary for the Alliance for Justice, with a link to the Out story.

The Christmas Kettle, or Red Kettle, is The Salvation Army’s most famous fundraising campaign. During the Christmas season, volunteers stand outside of businesses and play or sing Christmas carols or ring bells to inspire passers-by to place donations inside the red pots.

Former President Barack Obama invited leaders of The Salvation Army to the Oval Office in the summer of 2014.