>>> WHEN GOP CHAIRWOMAN RONA
McDANIEL TWEETED LAST WEEK THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY WILL CONTINUE
TO GROW ITS RISING SUPPORT FROM
THE COMMUNITY BY SUPPORTING
MEASURES THAT HAVE BALANCED AND
PROTECTIONS, AND WITH THOSE WITH
DEEPLY HELD RELIGIOUS BELIEFS,
CHASTEN BUTTIGIEG CALLS OUT THE
HYPOCRISY AND CHALLENGED HER
POSITION, TWEETING -- THOSE WITH
DEEPLY HELD RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
BELIEFS ARE OFTEN THE PARENTS
WHO CHOSED THEIR CHILDREN OUT ON
THE HOME AND ONTO THE STREETS.
40% OF HOMELESS YOUTH IN THIS
COUNTRY ARE LGBTQ.
REVISIT YOUR PARTYS PLATFORM
BEFORE YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH ABOUT
PRIDE.
HES THE ODDS THOR OF A
BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN BOOK "I HAVE
SOMETHING TO TELL YOU."
WHICH IS OUT RIGHT NOW IN
PAPERBACK.
I WANT TO START WITH YOUR BOOK
AND SOMETHING WE STARTED TALKING
ABOUT WHEN THE HARD COVER IS
OUT.
ITS SO BEAUTIFUL.
I HAVE TO READ THIS.
YOU WRITE THIS -- I JUST KNEW
THAT IF I CAME OUT, I WOULD LOSE
MY FAMILY AND MY FRIENDS.
I HAD ALREADY PACKED MY BAGS AND
STARTED MOVING OUT OF THE HOUSE
BY I DID IT.
I STAYED UP WONDERING HOW THERE
COULD BE ANYTHING NEXT FOR ME,
COUNTING DOWN THE HOURS UNTIL I
LOST EVERYTHING I KNEW.
THATS HOW I THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
I NEVER CONSIDERED THE FREEDOM I
WOULD FEEL ONCE I COULD BE
MYSELF IN FRONT OF MY PARENTS
AND FRIENDS.
YOU WRITE SO BEAUTIFULLY, AND
ITS EQUAL PARTS SO RAW AND SO
PAINFUL.
THE BOOK COMING BACK OUT AND YOU
COMING BACK ON, ITS JUST
INCREDIBLY POWERFUL.
I WONDER WHAT HAVING IT OUT AND
HAVING A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT IT
AGAIN HAS BEEN LIKE.
>> WELL, THANKS SO MUCH, NICOLLE
FOR HAVING ME BACK ON, AND ITS
FITTING THAT ITS PRIDE MONTH.
I APPRECIATE YOU READING THAT
PASSAGE.
IM LUCKY TO BE SITTING HERE
TODAY.
DURING PRIDE MONTH ITS A GREAT
TIME TO RECOMMIT OURSELVES FOR
STICKING UP FOR EVERYTHING IN
THIS COMMUNITY.
I WROTE THAT PASSAGE TRUTHFULLY.
I WAS A PRETTY SUICIDAL TEENAGER
WHEN I RAN AWAY FROM HOME.
IN THIS COUNTRY, AN LGBTQ KID
CONSIDERS SUICIDE ABOUT EVERY
TWO SECONDS.
I WAS ONE OF THOSE KIDS.
I USED THIS PLATFORM, THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE MY STORY,
BUT ALSO TO SHOW UP FOR THOSE
KIDS, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, 40% OF
THE KIDS WHO ARE SLEEPING OUT ON
THE STREETS IDENTIFY AS LGBTQ.
SO GETTING TO THE CLAP BACK,
THATS WHY WE HAVE TO STAND UP
FOR THE DANGEROUS LANGUAGE CHA
THE CHAIRWOMAN PUT OUT THERE.
THERES VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN
THIS COUNTRY AND THAT KIND OF
LANGUAGE HURTS THEM.
>> I FELT THAT IN YOUR RESPONSE.
IT WASNT A POLITICAL SPACE YOU
WERE OCCUPYING.
IT WAS A DEFENSE OF PEOPLE WHO
ARE NOW WALKING IN SHOES YOU CAN
VERY MUCH RELATE TO.
I WONDER, IF YOU CAN JUST EXPAND
ON THAT.
WHAT CAN WE ALL DO?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
YOU KNOW, I THINK SOME PEOPLE
LIKE THE CHAIRWOMAN ARE FOCUSED
ON, YOU KNOW SLAPPING RAINBOW
STICKERS ON TWEETS SAY YOU
SUPPORT THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY, BUT
WHAT WE NEED TO IS PASS THE
EQUALITY ACT.
IF THE CHAIRWOMAN IS RIGHT THAT
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS TRULY
THE PARTY OF INCLUSIVITY, WHICH
I BELIEVE IT IS NOT, WE SHOULD
HAVE NO PROBLEM PASSING THE
EQUALITY ACT.
THE EQUALITY ACTS GUARANTEES
SWEEPING -- PEOPLE CAN STILL BE
DENIED HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT,
EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES, AND
THATS WHY CIVIL RIGHTS
LEGISLATION IS SO IMPORTANT.
THIS COMMUNITY IS CONSISTENTLY
UNDER ATTACK DAY IN AND DAY OUT,
SPECIFICALLY THE TRANSGENDER
COMMUNITY.
WE SEE THAT HAPPENING IN FLORIDA
WITH RON DeSANTIS USING THE
FIRST DAY OF PRIDE TO PASS
ANTI-TRANS LEGISLATION.
SO EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTRY CAN
STAND UP AND ASK THEIR OFFICIALS
TO PASS THE EQUALITY ACT.
>> YOU HAVE MOVED TO WASHINGTON,
MAKING IT YOUR HOME NOW.
HOW IS THAT?
>> ITS WARM.
I AM NOT USED TO THE HEAT YET.
>> ITS VERY HOT TODAY.
>> IM VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE.
TO BE A PART OF A NEW WAVE OF
HOPE, CAN YOU REALLY FEEL IT
HERE IN THE CAPITOL, THIS SENSE
OF LEADERSHIP HAS RETURN TO OUR
NATIONS CAPITAL, THAT PEOPLE
HOAR ARE FOCUSED ON GETTING
THINGS DONE.
AS WE CONTINUE THROUGH PRIDE
MONTH, I LOOK FORWARD TO
SPEAKING OUT.
OTHER THAN THAT, WELL TRY HEAT,
FOR THE DOGS.
>> WELL, I DONT WANT TO BUM YOU
OUT, BUT THE HEAT BREAKS LIKE IN
OCTOBER.
YOURE LIKE AT THE BEGINNING.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHY THEY CALL
IT A SWAMP?
I WANT TO ASK YOU SOMETHING YOU
WRITE ABOUT SECRETARY PETE, YOUR
HUSBAND AS WELL, ABOUT THE
ISOLATION THAT HE DEALT WITH AND
I READ THIS AGAIN TODAY TOO.
I COULDNT BEAR TO STAY IN THE
CLOSET WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER.
I SPENT YEARS AFTER I BUSTED
DOWN THE DOOR BATTLING
DEPRESSION AND SUICIDAL THOUGHTS
AND COMING TO TERMS WITH THE
INTERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA.
PETER ON THE OTHER HAND FELT HE
HAD TO STAY IN THE CLOSET IF HE
WANTED TO MAKE IT AND HE CARRIED
MANY OF THESE.
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW ISOLATING
IT WAS.
I READ YOUR BOOK WHEN YOU CAME
ON.
I THINK OF YOUR DESCRIPTION WHEN
I SEE HIM ON THE SUNDAY SHOWS.
WHAT IS THIS JOURNEY LIKE FOR
HIM, FOR BOTH OF YOU?
>> WELL, IVE NEVER SEEN HIM
HAPPIER.
I THINK HES DEFINITELY
DEDICATED TO THE JOB.
IM SORT OF ONLY ALLOWING ABOUT
THREE MINUTES OF TRANSPORTATION
TALK AT THE DINNER TABLE AT
NIGHT BUT DURING PRIDE MONTH FOR
BOTH OF US TWO PEOPLE WHO HAVE,
YOU KNOW, GONE THROUGH A LOT IN
OUR PERSONAL LIVES.
I CAME OUT VERY EARLY AND PETE
FELT HE HAD TO KEEP A LOT OF
THINGS LOCKED UP INSIDE TO
SUCCEED IN THIS COUNTRY.
ITS A REALLY IMPORTANT TIME FOR
US TO DO OUR BEST TO SHOW UP FOR
EVERYONE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
I WANT TO SAY ONE MORE THING
ABOUT YOUR QUESTION EARLIER.
WHAT CAN PEOPLE DO DURING PRIDE
MONTH?
I DIDNT COME OUT BECAUSE I FELT
LIKE I WAS GOING TO LOSE MY
FAMILY.
I THINK PETE FELT THE SAME WAY,
NOT ONLY ABOUT HIS FAMILY BUT
HIS CAREER.
IF YOU LOVE SOMEONE IN YOUR
FAMILY, YOUVE GOT TO LET THEM
KNOW THAT.
IF YOU ARE TRULY AN ALLY, YOU
HAVE TO LET THEM KNOW YOU WILL