Navy Newsroom employees are being accused of making derogatory remarks about individuals who raised questions about the military’s involvement in Pride Month, referring to them as “less savory members of our audience” and “bad actors” in emails regarding potential alterations to Navy shields and symbols to incorporate rainbow colors and the transgender flag.
“It appears there are personnel in the U.S. Navy who believe promoting the LGBTQ agenda is more important than their ethical responsibilities to keep politics separate from their responsibilities in the military,” Peter McGinnis, spokesman for the Functional Government Initiative (FGI) said in a press release issued on June 1. “Devising schemes to circumvent any input of recruiters while the armed forces suffer a recruiting crisis puts the nation at risk. Impersonating reporters as well as offering conflicting answers to inquiries are certainly nothing to be proud of regardless of what month it is.”
Within the same correspondence, opponents of the military’s celebration of Pride Month were called “bigots.” Naval staff engaged in discussions on how to circumvent objections to the LGBTQ-related modifications from within the Navy's own Recruiting Command, according to the release. One employee suggested withholding information about the differences from recruiters until it was too late to voice concerns.
Messages from May 5, 2022, show a naval superior directing a naval officer to impersonate a reporter during a news conference about their LGBTQ-related posts, the release reported. The designated questions were aimed at promoting a specific agenda, such as inquiring about the individual’s gender identity and pronouns. The questions included: “If their gender identity is different than their outward identity: What hardships do you face being in uniform as a ______. Does the Navy and your peers allow you to be your true self?”
Fox News reported on May 31 that the Navy acknowledged that it had employed a drag queen as part of its recruiting efforts. Yeoman 2nd Class Joshua Kelley, who performs on stage as “Harpy Daniels,” revealed his role as a “Digital Ambassador” for the Navy in November 2022.
The Navy’s effort to promote a more inclusive environment was showcased in a video that highlights the importance of creating a safe space for all members and staff, the Washington Free Beacon reported in June 2022. These initiatives align with the broader push by the Biden administration to make the military more welcoming to transgender individuals. The approximately four-minute Navy video emphasized the significance of using inclusive language to signal the acceptance of everyone. It emphasized the need to avoid misgendering individuals and cautioned against pressuring colleagues to disclose their gender pronouns.
The Navy issued contradicting statements about LGBTQ “safety transfers,” the release reported. While claiming that new policies were hurting the freedom of LGBTQ members of the armed forces, the Navy admitted last year that they had had zero “safety transfers” due to new laws and policies affecting LGBTQ rights. Shortly following this, the Navy stated that “The Navy had 433 re‐assignments similar to safety transfers in FY21,” with no further information concerning those transfers.
