The internet buzzed with an unusual claim after Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and his husband, Chasten, announced the arrival of their twins in August. As Buttigieg took paternity leave, a peculiar image began circulating on social media, sparking questions about whether Pete Buttigieg breast feed his child.
The viral post, particularly shared widely on Instagram and other platforms starting around mid-October, featured a picture purportedly showing Pete Buttigieg wearing a device designed for breastfeeding. Accompanying text sarcastically commented on Buttigieg’s paternity leave amidst ongoing supply chain issues, implying a connection between his parental duties and the national crisis. This led many to question the authenticity of the image and the validity of the claim that Pete Buttigieg breast feed his child.
Image from Japanese company Dentsu showcasing their Father's Nursing Assistant device, digitally altered to falsely depict Pete Buttigieg.
However, the image is not what it seems. The claim that Pete Buttigieg was pictured using a breastfeeding device is false; the image is a manipulated fabrication. The original picture has been traced back to a Japanese technology company and has been digitally altered to include Buttigieg’s face.
Debunking the Breastfeeding Claim: The Image is Fake
Dani Simons, spokesperson for the Department of Transportation, confirmed that the picture is indeed fake. The original photograph, featuring the “Father’s Nursing Assistant,” a device created by the Japanese company Dentsu, can be found on Dentsu’s own website.
Dentsu unveiled the “Father’s Nursing Assistant” at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival in 2019. The innovative device was designed to allow fathers to participate more directly in the infant feeding process, offering a way for them to bond with their babies through feeding and give mothers a break. It’s a device intended to facilitate shared parental responsibilities, not for men to literally breastfeed.
The altered image circulating online takes a screenshot from a video showcasing this device and replaces the face of the man wearing the device with Pete Buttigieg’s. Furthermore, the child depicted in the fake image appears significantly older than Buttigieg’s newborn twins, adding another layer of unreality to the hoax.
The Real Picture: Buttigieg as a New Dad
Pete Buttigieg and Chasten Buttigieg have indeed embraced parenthood, sharing their joy with the public through genuine photos of their growing family. On September 4th, 2021, Pete Buttigieg himself shared a heartwarming tweet featuring his twins and his husband, offering a glimpse into their life as new fathers. This authentic image stands in stark contrast to the fabricated breastfeeding photo.
The viral claim and doctored image serve as a reminder of how easily misinformation can spread on social media. While the idea of a father using a “breastfeeding device” might seem unusual, the context was deliberately twisted to create a false narrative around Pete Buttigieg and his paternity leave.
Our Verdict: The Image is Altered
Based on available evidence and official confirmation, we rate the claim that the image shows Pete Buttigieg wearing a breastfeeding device as ALTERED. The image is a manipulated version of an original photo featuring Dentsu’s “Father’s Nursing Assistant.” The face of the individual in the original image has been replaced with Pete Buttigieg’s, creating a false and misleading representation. It is crucial to verify information and images encountered online, especially those that seem sensational or designed to provoke a strong reaction, before accepting them as fact.
Fact-Check Sources:
- Dentsu Inc. ” отец-грудное-вскармливание-устройство” (Father’s Nursing Assistant). https://www.dentsu.co.jp/en/news/ideas/sxsw2019_2.html
- Pete Buttigieg’s Tweet, September 4, 2021. https://twitter.com/PeteButtigieg/status/1434167993769111552
- USA TODAY Fact Check: Image of Ben Shapiro tweet about Columbus Day manipulated. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/10/22/fact-check-ben-shapiro-tweet-columbus-day-fake/8526379002/
- USA TODAY Fact Check: Image of a football stadium was altered to include anti-Biden message. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/10/22/fact-check-altered-football-stadium-image-message-against-biden/8528600002/
