The official U.S. Navy Instagram and Twitter accounts have seemingly removed posts that celebrated the commencement of “Pride Month.” On Thursday, the first day of June “Pride Month,” the Navy’s social media accounts featured a graphic displaying military vessels and a fighter jet leaving a trail behind in the rainbow colors of the LGBTQ flag, but by Friday morning, the image had disappeared.
This action is part of the Pentagon’s recent efforts to steer clear of cultural controversies, as top Defense officials recently moved to prohibit drag performances on all military installations. This week, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley intervened to cancel a drag show scheduled at Nellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas, on the eve of the Pride Month’s commencement. The Air Force cited recent Congressional testimony from Austin to justify this decision, while the Pentagon referred to an established policy. Nellis AFB has previously hosted drag shows, in recent years.
A Navy spokesperson acknowledged the original social media posts but declined to provide specific details regarding their removal or the reasons behind it.
The spokesperson stated:
The US Navy posted graphics in support of the start of Pride month to honor the service, commitment, and sacrifice of the LGBTQ+ Service members and personnel who volunteer to defend our country. As we do with all Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI) observance months, we will look for additional opportunities to celebrate the diversity and strength of our Sailors. Members of the LGBTQ+ community serve their country, fully contribute to the DoD mission, and deserve a welcoming environment which enables them to reach their full potential.
The Navy has previously faced backlash for its promotion of “Pride Month,” raising concerns last year about how to handle posting the graphic marking Pride on social media platforms due to potential backlash. A discussion between two military officials in recently obtained internal emails considered the disabling of comments on Pride-themed social media posts to mitigate public criticism.
One military member, whose name and rank have been redacted, wrote:
I just don’t have the emotional energy to deal with rude a**holes and we are planning to put up our Pride Month post. I’d just as soon post our message without any feedback from trolls and ugliness.
Another exchange noted that the Navy’s recruiting arm, known as CRUITCOM, had expressed disapproval of changing the logo in the past, and discussed how to get around their anticipated opposition to use the LGBTQ+ profile pic. The email from the assistant chief of information read:
CRUITCOM has in the past expressed disappointment with us for modifying the brand icon. I don’t recommend we give them a ‘Mother, may I?’ But we may want to give them [a] warnord (a notice of an order or action to follow). If we do, do you have preference on how much of a heads-up we give them and who it should come from? I can do it by sending them a note with a picture of the icon you chose and telling them we’re posting it in an hour’s time.
The reported opposition from the branch’s recruitment arm comes as the Navy is projected to miss its recruitment quotas by 16 percent in the fiscal year 2023, according to the vice chief of naval operations. The emails, drag shows, and related incidents resulting in low recruit numbers demonstrate the argument that the military is putting political correctness ahead of its defense objectives.
The Navy has also faced intense criticism from GOP lawmakers for using a sailor who is also a drag queen as a digital ambassador to aid in recruiting efforts. Fourteen Republican Senators wrote a letter in April, expressing their concerns including the sailor’s use of the app TikTok. The Senators wrote:
We write regarding the Navy’s “Digital Ambassador” Pilot Program and reports that the Navy enlisted a TikTok drag queen to help reach potential recruits on social media. While we understand the importance of social media for modern recruiting, we are concerned about both the promotion of a banned app and behavior that many deem inappropriate in a professional workplace.
Major League Baseball, similarly posted a Pride-themed graphic on Thursday which disappeared overnight. Controversies surrounding the Los Angeles Dodgers’ plans to honor an anti-Catholic group of drag queens during “Pride Night” has caused calls for boycotts, condemnation from religious leaders, and a million-dollar opposition campaign launched by CatholicVote.
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Pentagon Directs ‘Child Friendly’ Drag Show to Be Cancelled on Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada
The California State Senate also plans to honor the group, called ‘Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” on the Senate floor on June 5. Republican Senators released a caucus statement calling the invitation “inexcusable,” and a “slap in the face to Catholics.”
The OLD NAVY was the best. Queers kept to themselves and the straight guys got the work done without having to think what the queers were doing. We kept our country, our shipmates, our pilots, everyone safe and trained, no woke, real training.