Staff Reports
The Navy is struggling with a recruiting crisis, so they decided to bring in a drag queen named Joshua Kelley. He is also known as Harpy Daniels. The Navy Digital Ambassador program launched in October 2022 and lasted until March 2023. The Navy is now evaluating the program's future.
The Navy selected Kelley because they wanted to reach younger recruits and talk about military service in a different way. Since 2018, she has been performing as a drag queen on Navy ships. She is now an advocate for those who have been oppressed in the military.
According to Kelley, who identifies as a non-binary person, he has found acceptance within the Navy. He is now using his performance in support of the LGBTQ+ community. In 2022, he was harassed outside the military after he was scheduled to perform at an event at a base in Virginia. The event, which was supposed to be a simple gathering for the DEI program, was met with an uproar from Christian extremists and conservatives.
The Navy is currently struggling to recruit, and it is expected to lose about 6,000 sailors during the next fiscal year. According to Lisa Franchetti, the head of the Navy's recruiting division, the challenges the Navy faces are the most challenging since it started. To attract more young individuals, the Navy has started using various social media platforms such as Instagram and YouTube to reach out to potential candidates.
US Navy Used Drag Queen Influencer To Attract A ‘Wide Range’ Of New Troops As Recruitment Plummets https://t.co/03WvLZvqyv via @dailycaller
— 🇺🇸Fuzzy Lumpkins E.A. 🇺🇸 (@ea_fuzz) May 2, 2023
Although the Navy is struggling with a recruiting issue, using a drag queen to attract young people to join is not a solution. Instead, they should focus on developing effective ways to attract new sailors.
Source: The Daily Caller
