Staff Reports
The official US Navy Twitter account got a lot of negative feedback after they posted a Pride Month graphic for LGBTQ people. The picture showed planes and ships with a rainbow-colored stream and the word "Pride" written in different colors. Due to a lot of pressure from the public, Navy officials switched the picture from a control tower to one of a ship deck.
Official Navy Twitter Account Quietly Removes LGBTQ Graphic after Backlash https://t.co/Wg0tDIHU13
— ????Josh Dunlap???? ULTRA-MAGA (@JDunlap1974) June 3, 2023
Many people on Twitter didn't like the Navy's image and asked why the account wasn't using it to recruit new people for the force. But Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro recognized Pride Month and praised Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in California. This got backing from the Navy's account.
“Why are recruiting numbers so bad???” pic.twitter.com/nxUo95xSFk
— BowTiedRanger (@BowTiedRanger) June 1, 2023
Hey @USNavy why did you change your cover photo back last night? Don’t you supoort the 2SLGBTQI+ community? pic.twitter.com/OehtQPb0vA
— Mostly Peaceful Memes (@MostlyPeacefull) June 2, 2023
The only colors that should be promoted by the @USNavy are Red, White and Blue. https://t.co/23QihRu5ww
— ??DragonDavid?? (@DragonDavid76) June 1, 2023
ALNAV: https://t.co/fGKMsz1dx5 pic.twitter.com/vQbad6heNN
— U.S. Navy (@USNavy) June 2, 2023
Happy #PrideMonth! ?⚓️During Pride Month and throughout the year, the #CoastGuard celebrates the #LGBTQ+ community and emphasizes an inclusive Coast Guard where all people are respected, empowered, and valued.
1/2 pic.twitter.com/KAY635kP4n
— U.S. Coast Guard (@USCG) June 1, 2023
The conservative community spoke out against the Navy's move to look politically right and said that the force's main colors should be red, white, and blue. Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps did not support Pride Month with a special graphic or a tweet. Instead, they focused on their main tasks. The Navy was criticized last month for hiring "Harpy Daniels," an active-duty non-binary soldier and drag queen, as one of its first five Navy Digital Ambassadors.
Critics, including a Navy SEAL, called the recruiting process scary and said that it would hurt the ability of the force to protect the country. So, the U.S. Navy's choice to remove the LGBTQ graphic from its official Twitter account showed how society scolds the military for pushing progressive ideas and wants them to focus on their main jobs.
