The city of West Hollywood praised President-elect Joe Biden’s nomination of former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg to serve as secretary of transportation in the incoming administration. This makes the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, the first openly LGBTQ person nominated in the Biden administration and the first openly LGBTQ cabinet nominee in United States history.

If confirmed, Buttigieg would be the first Senate-confirmed LGBTQ cabinet secretary, signaling a historic milestone for LGBTQ visibility. In addition, he would be one of the youngest cabinet-level appointees in history, becoming a role model for a new generation of young LGBTQ people.

In a brief statement posted on Twitter, Biden noted, “Mayor Pete Buttigieg is a leader, patriot and problem-solver. He speaks to the best of who we are as a nation. I am nominating him for secretary of transportation because he’s equipped to take on the challenges at the intersection of jobs, infrastructure, equity and climate.”

“Representation is vitally important. President-elect Biden’s nomination of Pete Buttigieg to the incoming administration is especially significant for LGBTQ young people who will be able to see themselves reflected in leadership at the highest levels of government. This is exactly what generations of LGBTQ people and their allies have fought decades for,” Mayor Lindsey Horvath said. “Mayor Pete, in having served as a mayor, will bring hands-on experience to the job of Transportation Secretary at a time when practical experience and a 21st century approach to investment in transportation infrastructure is desperately needed. President-elect Biden has made an unprecedented commitment to diversity in staff and cabinet announcements made to date. If confirmed, Pete Buttigieg will join one of the most diverse presidential administrations in history with an incredible cross-section of people from every background.”

During his presidential campaign, Buttigieg visited West Hollywood, where he received strong support from community members. A large portion of his platform focused on plans to improve U.S. infrastructure and as secretary of transportation, Buttigieg would be responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of U.S. transportation legislation and policy, with regard to national security and safety of transportation systems.

For information, visit weho.org.