A Blow to Historical Images: Pentagon Scrubs Photos of Atomic Bomber Due to LGBTQ Sensitivity
Defense Department removes images of iconic nuclear explosions.
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The US government's controversial stance on LGBTQ issues continues to unsettle the public. An official database has witnessed the erasure of several historical images, including photographs of a renowned atom bomber from World War II. It seems the Pentagon is uncomfortable with the bomber's name.
Contradicting its commitment to safeguarding historical photos from actions aimed at dismantling programs promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, at least three images of the B-29 bomber "Enola Gay," which unleashed the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima in 1945, vanished.
The presumed reason for the deletion: "Gay" is slang for "homosexual" in the English language. However, the historic B-29 was named in honor of the pilot's mother. After assuming office, Former President Donald Trump initiated the termination of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, triggering the Department of Defense to target over 26,000 photos for deletion, as directed by department head Pete Hegseth.
Behind the Scenes
- Trump's DEI purge started just days after taking office.
- The Department of Defense silenced the voices of Jeannie Leavitt, the first female combat pilot in the US Air Force, marking her images for deletion.
- Colonel Leavitt's photos, along with the Tuskegee Airmen, the first black military pilots in the US who served in their own unit during World War II, were initially part of the database.
- Despite white-house orders to restore videos of the Tuskegee Airmen online, photos of the "Enola Gay" remained obscured, with only thumbnail images visibly surviving the image purge.
Sources: ntv.de, lar/AP
- Washington
- USA
- Pete Hegseth
- Donald Trump
- LGBTQ
- Pentagon
- Historical
- The Commission, given the ongoing sensitivity around LGBTQ issues, is likely to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation, especially when handling the name "Enola Gay," given its association with the first atomic bomb and the slang term "gay."
- While searching for the latest updates on the controversy surrounding the deletion of historical photos by the Pentagon, one might find it curious to see calls forprotection via WhatsApp groups, discussing the impending directive on ionizing radiation and the uncertain fate of the "Enola Gay" photographs.
- It's interesting to consider the parallel between the erasure of historical images, including the iconic B-29 bomber "Enola Gay," and the marginalization faced by members of the LGBTQ community throughout history, who have also been omitted and suppressed.
