Christian conservative activists are already denouncing Pete and Chasten Buttigieg for adopting twins, expressing hatred at two men for becoming fathers.
The out Secretary of Transportation and his husband announced that they welcomed their two children – Penelope Rose and Joseph August – into their family this past week and posted a picture to social media.
Related: The world congratulates Chasten & Pete on becoming parents
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This set Christian conservatives off.
“Where are the mothers?” asked Lila Rose, a prominent anti-abortion activist. She’s the founder of the anti-choice group Live Action and was named one of Christianity Today’s “33 under 33” in 2014.
“My heart goes out to those infants,” she said implying that same-sex parents are harmful to children.
Where are the mothers? 🥲 My heart goes out to these infants.
— Lila Rose (@LilaGraceRose) September 5, 2021
“How can you not be scandalized by this photo?” tweeted one of the largest anti-LGBTQ organizations in France, Manif Pour Tous. “Not satisfied with taking these babies away from their mother just after childbirth, these two men also took her hospital bed… Think about these children who have been robbed of their mother forever.”
The group used the hashtag #GPA, which refers to surrogacy. The Buttigieges have been talking about adoption for months now.
Manif Pour Tous has deleted the tweet, but @ParisPasRose saved a screenshot.
Toute la presse précise noir sur blanc que les époux #Buttigieg n'ont pas recouru à la #GPA mais sont devenus papas de jumeaux à l'issue d'un processus d'adoption d'enfants abandonnés, mais on connaît bien la passion de la manif pour tous pour le mensonge et l'insulte. pic.twitter.com/nN6pjxwnjQ
— Claire Underwood (@ParisPasRose) September 5, 2021
Saundra McDowell, who ran for governor of Missouri last year as a Republican but lost in the primary, was one of many people online who attacked the Buttigieges for taking a picture in a hospital bed, implying that taking a picture of their new family proves that they only adopted for selfish and narcissistic reasons.
“Why are they both in the hospital bed like they had these babies? Photo-op,” she wrote.
Why are they both in the hospital bed like they had these babies? Photo-op.
— Saundra McDowell (@mcdowellformo) September 5, 2021
McDowell wasn’t the only person online to express discontent about the Buttigieges taking a picture of their new family in the hospital, which led one person to give some shady congratulations.
“Let’s hope you can raise your children not to be judgmental, like the majority of people on this thread,” wrote Twitter user Mary Clarke.
Congratulations to you both. Let's hope you can raise your children not to be judgemental, like the majority of the people on this thread. May God bless all 4 of you
— Mary Clarke (@MaryCla40223566) September 5, 2021
