Why White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre is an LGBTQ political powerhouse

The American Dream — the belief that any citizen of America can achieve self-made success through hard work and determination — has long been questioned. In 1963, prominent civil rights activist Martin Luther King’s iconic speech highlighted that this ideology was not a reality for people of colour in the US. Instead, he dreamt of a world where people of all colours and creeds would be truly equal.

Sixty years later and although the American Dream continues to be contested, one shining role model of both Black and LGBTQ+ excellence is Karine Jean-Pierre, a celebrated activist and social commentator, who, from humble beginnings, climbed the governmental ladder to become a prominent figure in politics, and the public face of the White House. She’s also now the leader of the Politics category in Attitude 101, empowered by Bentley.

Jean-Pierre grew up in Martinique, a Caribbean island off the coast of America. Born to Haitian parents, she was submerged in a diverse and multicultural community that shaped her inclusive political views. She is proud of her roots and heritage: “I am a dark-skinned Haitian American child of the working class”, she writes in her 2019 memoir Moving Forward. 

“In so many ways, I am fighting for my family”

When Jean-Pierre was a teenager, the family immigrated to Queens, New York. She was often left to look after her two siblings because her parents — her father was a taxi driver, and her mother a home health aide — often had to work every day of the week in order to survive. She hails their work ethic in the face of great struggle as one of her inspirations when it comes to her activism, saying, “In so many ways, I am fighting for my family.”

However, her life at home was not perfect. For decades, her mother refused to acknowledge Jean-Pierre’s lesbianism, which led to confusion, isolation and self-hatred. 

“When I was 16 years old I realised I was different,” she told ABC News during Pride Month 2022. “[But] Black households can be incredibly conservative. [My mother] saw me getting married, having kids with a man… Parents have this painted life for you and you are destroying all of that.”  

Despite the trauma, it is this honesty about her identity that has made Jean-Pierre such a popular political figure. Described by former President Barack Obama as having great “integrity”, it is her genuine nature that is key to her approach to politics and activism. Celebrated for her ability to connect with mainstream audiences, she has been a regular social commentator for American TV channels MSNBC, NBC and CBS.

“My family, like many families, grew to accept who I was”

Her path to public life, she says, was inspired by her first encounter with a politician she herself could identify with — Barbara Jordan. “She was the first Black woman in politics I had ever witnessed,” she writes in Moving Forward. “In a world of pretty, pearl-wearing charmers, Jordan was substantive and authentic.” In a prime example of the important role that representation plays — a point that Jean-Pierre has consistently argued throughout her career as an activist — she was inspired by Jordan, and embarked on an MA in Public Affairs under the tutelage of mentor, renowned academic Ester Fuchs.

Early in her career, Jean-Pierre worked for Christine Quinn, the first openly gay speaker of the New York City Council, so beginning her advocacy work for LGBTQ+ people. 

“To anyone who has been told no… keep pushing forward, and keep going”

Despite being a self-declared late starter in the world of politics, Jean-Pierre quickly established herself as a trailblazer. She has been associated with some of the most exciting political wins of our time — first, as a regional director for the election of Barack Obama in 2008. One of her most notable triumphs was as part of her role as chief public affairs officer for progressive public policy advocacy group, MoveOn.org, where she ran campaigns against Trump during his term as President. More recently, she acted as senior advisor to the Biden 2020 political campaign. 

She has also worked hard for the queer community, including passing bills that have protected LGBTQ+ rights, advocating for better representation of LGBTQ+ people in politics and the media, speaking out against Trump’s discriminatory policies such as a ban on transgender individuals serving in the army, and calling for the passage of the Equality Act which would provide further legal protections. 

As Jean-Pierre’s career has taken off, her comfort in her identity has increased. On National Coming Out Day 2022, she shared in a tweet how she was now proud of her sexuality: “My family, like many families, grew to accept who I was. Who I loved didn’t change who I was as a person. It didn’t change the things I liked to do, and it didn’t change the goals I had for my life.” 

She currently lives with her partner, CNN correspondent Suzanne Malveaux, with whom she has a daughter, and is proud to have a family of her own.

Jean-Pierre has said that she could never have imagined the young girl living in a small apartment in Queens even visiting the White House, let alone reaching a pinnacle in her political career there. In 2022, she was announced as the first Black and gay woman to serve as press secretary in the White House. This platform not only allows her to represent Black, LGBTQ+ people in politics, but to continue to spread her message to marginalised communities. In the dedication of her memoir, she surmised: “To anyone who has been told no… keep pushing forward, and keep going.” 

Attitude 101, empowered by Bentley – our list of our 101 most influential LGBTQ people – appears in full in issue 351 of Attitude, available to buy and download now.

The full list for Attitude 101’s Politics category

Blake Desjarlais, Canada’s first Two-Spirit MP

Stephen Morgan, Labour MP

Taylor Small, State representative, Vermont House of Representatives

Jenny Gilruth, Member of the Scottish Parliament

Maura Healey, Governor of Massachusetts

Eduardo Leite, Governor of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Davante Lewis, Public service commissioner, Louisiana

Stuart Andrew, Conservative MP

Dan Carden, Labour MP