Fox News host Tucker Carlson made homophobic and misogynist remarks about Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg taking paternity leave after the birth of his twins, Penelope Rose and Joseph August.
Buttigieg, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate and former mayor of South Bend, Indiana went on paid paternity leave in mid-August to spend time with his twins and support his husband, Chasten.
While away, Tucker Carlson decided to share his bigoted thoughts about his absence:
"Pete Buttigieg has been on leave from his job since August after adopting a child."
"Paternity leave, they call it, trying to figure out how to breastfeed."
"No word on how that went."
It was a totally unnecessary, hateful remark in a rant about inflation and supply chain issues.
Tucker Carlson mocks Pete Buttigieg for taking paternity leave: "Paternity leave, they call it, trying to figure ou… https://t.co/OHCEV1miGX— nikki mccann screamírez 👻 (@nikki mccann screamírez 👻) 1634256697.0
Of course, Twitter was not going to let Tucker get away with his latest display of bigotry and ignorance.
@NikkiMcR Tucker Carlson was picked last for every game of kickball and now we all have to pay the price for it.— The joke-police (@The joke-police) 1634261109.0
@steiger_travis @NikkiMcR I highly doubt he was even picked. I think the team just played with one less player— Manuel De La Cruz Jr (@Manuel De La Cruz Jr) 1634261713.0
@NikkiMcR Two of my male colleagues’ wives gave birth during the pandemic and both of them were entitled to and too… https://t.co/TmvqukyghD— MomOf4 (@MomOf4) 1634266476.0
@NirodhaTW @NikkiMcR What I would have given to have had my husband home for more than a week w my 2 kids. I’m glad… https://t.co/9xib4Jgmxa— not-so Starving artist 🏳️🌈🤜🏼🤛🏾🎨🇺🇸👩🏻🎨 (@not-so Starving artist 🏳️🌈🤜🏼🤛🏾🎨🇺🇸👩🏻🎨) 1634295945.0
@NikkiMcR Mock taking any time off from work Attack any mandatory time off programs Mock the sick Attack any healt… https://t.co/NS5ZSTgSny— Brett doesn't have time for your shenanigans (@Brett doesn't have time for your shenanigans) 1634282336.0
@NikkiMcR In 1978 I took 10 days off with the birth of my son. The firm had never heard of it before. I wasn’t fir… https://t.co/8urNckY10b— Jack Kukowski (@Jack Kukowski) 1634263498.0
@JackKukowski @NikkiMcR My hubs took off a single week for our son's birth, starting the day I went into labor, Dec… https://t.co/CiACXA04rN— Randi (@Randi) 1634265910.0
@NikkiMcR Thought it was important to bring this back as an actual screenshot from his show https://t.co/GNohOBCMYr— jfs1001 (@jfs1001) 1634269922.0
@bbmoody1 @NikkiMcR Tucker Carlson would attack a person for wearing the wrong shade of blue. He's there for the attention— Andrew M (@Andrew M) 1634298088.0
@NikkiMcR The Federal Employee Paid Leave Act, President Trump signed into law in 2019, gives fed workers access to… https://t.co/oQyigfwsbj— ALT US INS (OG Immigration) (@ALT US INS (OG Immigration)) 1634271602.0
@NikkiMcR Fox offers two months paid paternity leave to its employees— yes (@yes) 1634259841.0
.@TuckerCarlson I took two weeks paternity leave after the birth of each of my kids. Not all of us were raised amon… https://t.co/62qEby5N18— Bradley P. Moss (@Bradley P. Moss) 1634263290.0
It's possible Carlson forgot Fox News offers their employees paid paternity leave and his coworkers have taken advantage of it.
Fox & Friends First co-host Todd Piro took a six-week paternity leave to spend time with his daughter. Fox News host Jesse Watters took a short leave after the birth of his child.
In April, Watters even shared his opinion's changed after taking time off:
"Now I am pro-paternity."
"I used to mock people for taking paternity, I used to think it was a big ruse."
"But now, ya know, I wish I could take six weeks."
Tucker Carlson's @FoxNews colleague, @ToddPiro, in April, after he took six weeks of leave to help care for his inf… https://t.co/x4jOtdkMmt— David Gura (@David Gura) 1634261599.0
It's not the first time Carlson has shown his bigoted views about the LGBTQ+ community.
He tried to tear down Oregon Democratic Governor Kate Brown for her bisexuality when criticizing her mask mandate.
Carlson had an entry from his college yearbook showing he supported the homophobic killer Dan White for the murder of Harvey Milk.
And to top it off, he's claimed that transgender people are a threat to the "perpetuation of the species."
crude homophobia on the most-watched cable news show https://t.co/MflDsHkjuW— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1634260575.0
Tucker Carlson mocked Pete Buttigieg for being a gay parent. Any remaining Fox News advertisers should be destroyed… https://t.co/nUFvuaaCOS— John Aravosis 🇺🇸🇬🇷🏳️🌈 (@John Aravosis 🇺🇸🇬🇷🏳️🌈) 1634265672.0
Somehow, after all the homophobia, transphobia, and racism Carlson has exhibited and promoted on his show, Fox News has yet to truly be held accountable.