Chasten Buttigieg returns home on book tour for new YA memoir

May 10—TRAVERSE CITY — Northern Michigan has always been home for Chasten Buttigieg.

He said he wishes he could have had a book like the one he just released when he was growing up in Chum's Corner.

On Friday night, Buttigieg will speak as part of the National Writers Series at the City Opera House at 7:30 p.m. about his newly adapted young adult memoir, "I Have Something to Tell You."

Buttigieg's new book follows his adult memoir of the same name that was first released in September 2020.

"I thought it would be really great to adapt it for younger readers, specifically middle schoolers and their parents and their teachers," he said. "Not only to talk about the existence of LGBTQ people, but to explore some of the issues of community, of finding your way."

For Friday's event, Buttigieg said he and his publishers have partnered with local donors to make some student tickets free with a copy of the book included. He estimated that 70 students will be at the event.

In the wake of many states, such as Texas, Florida, Missouri, Utah and South Carolina establishing book bans, Buttigieg said it was important for him to figure out ways to get his new book in the hands of young readers, regardless of their ability to pay.

Copies of "I Have Something to Tell You," will also be available at the Traverse Area District Library.

"That's something we've certainly been thinking about around the country," he said. "Making sure that not just the events are accessible, but that the book is accessible to people who could benefit from it."

Over the next few months, Buttigieg will travel to 18 cities across the country to talk about his book and meet with students. Ensuring that copies of the book are available to kids has been challenging, but well worth it, he said.

A key aspect of that will be having people request it at their local libraries so anyone could check it out for free, regardless of socioeconomic status.

Throughout his newly adapted book, Buttigieg makes many references to Traverse City, including his high school jobs at Cherry Republic and La Señorita, and a mural he raised money for at his alma mater, Blair Elementary School.

He said he still has a copy of his middle school newspaper, The Blair Bobcat, with an article about the beautification of the gym that he helped lead.

"It's clearly this very ambitious, young 12-year-old kid," he said. "It's pretty cute."

Now, he still calls the same area home, alongside his twins Penelope and Gus, and his husband, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.

Some things from his childhood, like the Meijer off of US-31, have stayed the same, while others, he said, have shifted.

Buttigieg remembers homophobia permeating much of his life at Traverse City West High School. He writes that he would bowl at Timberlanes Bowling & Billiards, which is now Lucky Jack's, as a way to escape.

With the creation of Up North Pride and other local organizations, he said Traverse City is experiencing a political and social renaissance, making it much different than the place he grew up.

"Watching the city progress has left this little hole in my heart that I wanted to be apart of. I wanted to be back here and be closer to family."

He said the biggest change he's observed over the years has been the political progress in the area.

"When I was growing up I remember the backlash that the 'We are Traverse City' sticker got," Buttigieg said. "People didn't want a rainbow-colored sticker on city vehicles because the homophobia was so rampant and loud."

Now, he said, it is incredible to watch businesses downtown put pride flags in their windows.

"It's certainly a season for active ally ship," he said. "That people find a way to get off the couch and do something more than posting on social media."

Buttigieg said his parents and extended family still live in and around Grand Traverse County, and that raising his kids close to his mom was really important to him.

"Nothing beats Traverse City, there's everything here," he said.