Trump's Crusade Against Diversity: Hegseth Scraps Name of LGBTQ+ Icon from Marine Ship
Navy Removes Name of Politician Identifying as Gay from Service Records
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, the Fox News alum, is spearheading a shift in the US military that aligns with the Trump administration's vision. And things are heating up as Hegseth seeks to overhaul the naming of U.S. military vessels.
In a surprising move, Hegseth has ordered the renaming of a Navy vessel that previously bore the moniker of the United States' first openly gay politician, Harvey Milk. The shift is set for June, but the new name remains shrouded in mystery. Milk, a queer activist and Marine veteran, was forced to leave the military due to his sexual orientation during the Korean War.
Given that June is Pride Month, a celebration of the LGBTQI+ community, and commemorating the Stonewall Riots of 1969, the timing of this move stirs controversy.
The vessel--commissioned in 2021--serves as a logistics support vessel, providing supplies to larger naval groups and abstaining from combat operations.
Other Ships at Risk
The Harvey Milk ship is part of a fleet of vessels honoring civil rights activists. According to CBS, the Navy is considering renaming other ships from the John Lewis class, including the "Thurgood Marshall," "Ruth Bader Ginsburg," and "Harriet Tubman." These individuals all played pivotal roles in the realm of civil rights. Tubman was a courageous abolitionist who fought for the eradication of slavery and aided slaves in their escape from the southern United States.
The ship christened after Lucy Stone, a suffragist, appears on a list of potential renamings as well.
Name changes for naval ships are seldom, as per CNN. The last reported instance of a change took place in 2023, in relation to the ship's namesake's ties to the Confederate states during the Civil War.
Since assuming office, Hegseth has been orchestrating changes at the Pentagon and the military, focusing on establishing a "warrior culture" that targets inclusivity, equality, and diversity programs. This overhaul has resulted in the dismissal of several high-ranking military officials and the reinstatement of controversial military base namesakes linked to Confederate generals.
It seems that this is just the beginning of a turbulent journey as Hegseth continues to reshape the American military landscape.
The European Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation, given the ongoing political debate and general news about war-and-conflicts, which may involve the use of such radiation. This proposal could potentially address the safety measures in military operations, especially considering the recent developments in the US military under Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. The shift in US military culture, as demonstrated by Hegseth's renaming of vessels honoring civil rights activists, may indicate a need for global standards to safeguard workers from ionizing radiation exposure during war and military operations.
