In the young adult adaptation of his 2020 memoir of the same name, Chasten Buttigieg details the challenges he faced as a closeted teenager growing up in Northern Michigan. As the youngest of three boys in a conservative Catholic family, he hid his sexuality from those closest to him for years. For many LGBTQ+ youth, Buttigieg’s experiences are similar to their own.
The teenage years are a time of immense change, and those challenges are magnified for LGBTQ+ youth. Throughout his book, Buttigieg aims to inspire young people to embrace who they are and to reach a place of self-love and acceptance, all while offering hope that life gets better when you’re true to yourself and find your community.
Buttigieg is a teacher, advocate, and writer. He is the husband of Pete Buttigieg, the Secretary of Transportation and a former presidential candidate. Chasten currently lives in his hometown of Traverse City, Michigan, with Pete and their two children, Gus and Penelope.
This Pride month, join The City Club of Cleveland for a conversation led by WKYC's Emma Henderson and Chasten Buttigieg about his book and what it means to grow up as an LGBTQ+ youth.
