s an ongoing part of his outreach, Buttigieg plans to worship Sunday at Greenleaf Christian Church in Goldsboro, N.C., which is led by the Rev. William Barber II, a well-known minister and activist.
Barber said in an interview that in today’s polarized climate, candidates are often surprised to find so much diversity in his church — blacks, whites, gays, lesbians.
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“Let’s not get caught up in who understands discrimination the most,” Barber said. “Let’s deal with the real issue, which is that the same entities that are against gay folks are the same entities who are against black folks, and that we ought to be united in fighting discrimination in any form it arises.”
Buttigieg from the outset of his campaign sought guidance in how to frame his gay identity when talking with black voters. Two weeks after announcing his run for president, he lunched with Sharpton at Sylvia’s, a famous restaurant in Harlem.
“He wanted to genuinely know how I felt the African American community would relate to an LGBT candidate,” Sharpton said. The activist told Buttigieg something other black leaders have also said — that the level of homophobia in the black community has been greatly overstated.
McEwen said it is clear why some black voters are hesitant to support Buttigieg, noting that many of his qualifications are shared by a female candidate or a person of color, yet they have received far less buzz. He served in the military, but so did Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii). He made a name in local politics, but so did Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).
“I think the fact that he’s a white male is a far bigger problem than being gay among blacks in South Carolina,” McEwen said. “Because of the white male power structure, he’s gotten a lot more public attention than people who are senators. He’s only been a mayor.”
Beyond that, black voters give various reasons for distrusting Buttigieg, including his handling of race relations in South Bend. But a recurring theme is the sense that Buttigieg benefits from his privileged status without recognizing that he enjoys these advantages.
Buttigieg denies that, saying he is well aware of his advantages, and this week he pledged “increased engagement and new forms of engagement,” though he did not go into detail. Buttigieg has also said his challenge with black voters is that few know him. But his detractors say they know exactly who he is: a well-intentioned white liberal who credits himself with more insight into the black predicament than he has.
“He gets to be cast an all-American boy in the race, as if black people cannot be all-American,” McEwen said. “Could you imagine if he were black and gay? Good lord, it would be a miracle that anyone would vote for