The US Navy used a “drag queen influencer” to help encourage people to join the military.. Joshua Kelley Navy Uniform .Yeoman 2nd Class Joshua Kelley, also known as “Harpy Daniels” when performing as a drag queen..Kelley has more than 1.3 million likes on TikTok..In November 2022, he became the Navy's “Digital Ambassador.”.Kelley's Instagram says that his personal views “are not endorsed by DoD [department of Defence] or DoN [department of the Navy],” the drag queen has performed for military members multiple times, one video Kelley shared from 2018..Kelley participated in the "Digital Ambassador" initiative from October 2022 until March 2023..The initiative's objective was “designed to explore the digital environment to reach a wide range of potential candidates,” a Navy spokesperson told Fox News..According to the spokesperson, the Navy faces “the most challenging recruiting environment it has faced since the start of the all-volunteer force.”.“The Navy did not compensate YN2 Kelley or any others for being Navy Digital Ambassadors. The pilot concluded and we are now evaluating the program and how it will exist in the future,” said the spokesperson..The Navy's recruitment efforts are to generate more interest among its target market of 18 to 29-year-olds..A survey by the Ronald Reagan Institute discovered just 13% of 18n to 29-year-olds are “highly willing” to enlist in the military, with 25% indicating “somewhat willing” and 26% stating “not willing at all.”.Kelley has also shared posts on Instagram about serving as a “Digital Ambassador” for the Navy..“From joining to 2016 and being able to share my drag experience on my off time with my fellow sailors has been a blessing,” posted Kelley to Instagram..“This experience has brought me so much strength, courage and ambition to continue being an advocate and representation of queer sailors! Thank you to the Navy for giving me this opportunity! I don't speak for the Navy, but simply sharing my experience in the Navy! Hooyah, and let's go Slay!”.The “Digital Ambassador” drag queen controversy is part of a larger conflict about gender ideology in the Navy and the US military.. Joshua Kelley Blue Drag .In March, approximately 20 House Democrats introduced a bill to prevent discrimination against transgender people who want to serve in the US military..Earlier this year, Republicans, including Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), put forward a bill to restrict transgender individuals from serving in the military, except if they meet specific requirements..“Biden has turned our military into a woke social experiment,” Rubio told Fox News..“It is a stupid way to go about protecting our nation. We need to spend more time thinking about how to counter threats like China, Russia, and North Korea and less time thinking about pronouns.”
