White House press secretary honors David Mixner
During a press briefing on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre honored the passing of celebrated LGBTQ activist and author David Mixner, which was announced on his personal Facebook page late Monday.
His “moral clarity never wavered,” she said, “which is why he became such an invaluable confidant for so many, including presidential hopefuls, elected leaders and voices of the movement for LGBTQ+ equality.” Jean-Pierre continued, “Perhaps most importantly, he was deeply dedicated to mentoring the next generation of LGBTQ+ leaders fighting to create a better world,” adding, “those of us doing this work today, including myself, owe him a debt of gratitude.” Serving since May 2022, Jean-Pierre is the first Black and the first openly-LGBTQ White House press secretary.
Mixner, who reportedly passed from long COVID-19, first rose to prominence as an anti-Vietnam War activist. He became known as a political strategist who was close with former President Bill Clinton — and convinced him to address a gay and lesbian audience in 1992, becoming the first major presidential candidate to do so.
From his work securing then-California Gov. Ronald Reagan’s opposition to a measure banning gay schoolteachers to his activism over HIV/AIDS — and issues from nuclear disarmament to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ — Mixner’s influence spanned decades.
