>>> IN 1953 PRESIDENT EISENHOWER
SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT
PURGED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF
SEXUAL PERVERSION BECAUSE THEY
WERE DEEMED SECURITY THREATS.
AND TO BE CLEAR, THE TARGETS OF
SUCH ACCUSATIONS WERE GAY MEN
AND LESBIANS AND ANYONE ELSE NOT
DEEMED STRAIGHT.
THAT PURGE WOULD BE KNOWN AS THE
LAVENDER SCARE.
MY, HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED.
TONIGHT AT 10:00 P.M. RIGHT HERE
ON MSNBC JOIN ME FOR AN
EXTRAORDINARY HOUR OF TELEVISION
AS I SIT DOWN WITH SIX OF THE
HIGHEST RANKING OUT LGBTQ PEOPLE
IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, ALL
APPOINTED BY PRESIDENT JOE
BIDEN.
PERHAPS THE MOST POWERFUL MOMENT
HAPPENED DURING MY CONVERSATION
WITH TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY
PETE BUTTIGIEG, THE FIRST OUT
LGBTQ PERSON CONFIRMED BY THE
UNITED STATES SENATE TO A
PRESIDENTIAL CABINET.
WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOUR
13-YEAR-OLD SELF IF YOU COULD
TURN BACK TIME -- WHAT WOULD YOU
TELL YOURSELF?
>> I GUESS, HANG IN THERE.
AT 13 I WAS BEGINNING TO
UNDERSTAND THAT I WAS DIFFERENT.
NO, NOT UNDERSTAND.
I WAS BEGINNING TO PERCEIVE THAT
I WAS DIFFERENT AND NOT
UNDERSTAND.
AND THE UNDERSTANDING THAT I HAD
TO GATHER WAS THE TASK OF YEARS
AND YEARS.
AND, I GUESS, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
NICE TO HEAR THERES NOTHING
WRONG WITH YOU.
JUST HANG IN THERE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THINGS WORKED OUT
GREAT FOR ME.
I KNOW NOT EVERY TEEN WHO IS
REALIZING THAT THEYRE DIFFERENT
CAN SAY THAT.
AND SO WHAT I REALLY WANT IS
13-YEAR-OLD PETE CAME OUT ALL
RIGHT.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE 13-YEAR-OLD
WHOEVER YOU ARE OUT THERE KNOWS
TO HANG IN THERE.
NOT TO SAY IT WILL BE EASY, BUT
A LOT OF PEOPLE ROOTING FOR YOU
INCLUDING THE PRESIDENT AND
PEOPLE LIKE ME.
>> YOULL ALSO HEAR PERSONAL
REFLECTIONS FROM ASSISTANT
SECRETARY OF HEALTH, THE FRANCE
OUT TRANSGENDER PERSON CONFIRMED
BY THE SENATE.
THE DEPUTY WHITE HOUSE PRESS
SECRETARY, THE DEPUTY WHITE
HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR,
NEED PRICE, SPOKESPERSON FOR THE
STATE DEPARTMENT AND REGGIE
GREER, WHITE HOUSE SENIOR
ADVISER FOR LGBTQ PLUS SENIOR
ENGAGEMENT.
I WANT TO THANK MSNBC PRESIDENT
JONES AND SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
GREG FOR GREEN LIGHTING MY PIE
IN THE SKY IDEA.
THANK YOU, KYLE GRIFFIN FOR
EXECUTIVE PRODUCING A BEAUTIFUL
SPECIAL AND MISHA FOR THE
INCREDIBLE LEG WORK NEEDED TO
PULL OFF ALL THE INTERVIEWS.
AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE ON THE
SUNDAY SHOW TEAM.
YOU PULLED DOUBLE DUTY TO GET
"PRIDE OF THE WHITE HOUSE" ON
THE AIR.
>>> A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO I GOT A
CHANCE TO SEE IN FULL WHAT
YOURE GOING TO SEE TONIGHT.
LET ME SHARE WHAT I WROTE TO THE
SUNDAY SHOW TEAM AFTERWARDS WHEN
THE ENORMITY OF THE SPECIAL HIT
ME.
I NOT ONLY THANKED THEM FOR
THEIR GREAT WORK BUT ALSO FOR
PRODUCING SOMETHING HISTORIC.
TELEVISION, I WROTE, HAS THE
POWER TO CHANGE HEARTS AND
MINDS, AND IT HAS THE POWER TO
CHANGE LIVES.
BY SHOWCASING OUT LGBTQ PEOPLE
WHO WORK FOR THE PRESIDENT OF
THE YOUUNITED STATES, WE EXPANDE
THE HORIZONS OF COUNTLESS
PEOPLE.
WE MAY NEVER KNOW WHO THEY ARE,
BUT KNOW THEY WILL BE OUT THERE.
AND WHEN YOU HEAR SOMEONE TALK
ABOUT WHAT PRIDE OF THE WHITE
HOUSE MEANT TO THEM, REVEL IN
THE ROLE YOU PLAYED IN TOUCHING
THEIR LIFE.
I CANNOT WAIT FOR YOU TO SEE
"PRIDE OF THE WHITE HOUSE" AND
HOPE YOU SEE YOURSELF OR SOMEONE
YOU KNOW OR LOVE REFLECTED BACK