Key takeaways:
- The White House called on Mike Pence to apologize for his “homophobic joke” about Pete Buttigieg at the Gridiron Club dinner.
- The joke was seen as offensive and inappropriate, as it treated women suffering from postpartum depression as a punchline.
- The Biden administration has taken a strong stance against discrimination and intolerance.
The White House on Monday called on former Vice President Mike Pence to apologize for his remark at the Gridiron Club dinner on Saturday, saying that his “homophobic joke” about Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was “offensive and inappropriate.”
In a statement, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that Pence’s joke about Secretary Buttigieg was “all the more so because he treated women suffering from postpartum depression as a punchline.”
At the Gridiron dinner, Pence had joked that Secretary Buttigieg had taken “maternity leave” early in the Biden administration. His comment drew immediate backlash, including from Chasten Buttigieg, the husband of the Transportation Secretary, who tweeted, “An honest question for you,” tagging Pence, “after your attempted joke this weekend.”
The White House’s call for an apology comes as the Biden administration has made it a priority to combat discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals. The administration has also taken steps to ensure that all federal employees have access to paid parental leave.
The White House’s statement is a clear indication that Pence’s joke was seen as inappropriate and offensive. It remains to be seen whether Pence will apologize for his remarks, but it is clear that the Biden administration is taking a strong stance against discrimination and intolerance.
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