I’ll be honest—I’m angry.
This week, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the Navy will be renaming the USNS Harvey Milk. Let that sink in. During Pride Month—a time when we reflect on the courage and contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals—he chose to strip Harvey Milk’s name from a Navy ship. It’s hard to see this as anything but a deliberate and deeply cynical move.
For those who don’t know, Harvey Milk wasn’t just a gay icon—he was a Navy veteran. He served this country. He wore the uniform. And after being discharged during an era when being openly gay meant exile or worse, he went on to become the first openly gay elected official in California. He fought for equality with both passion and integrity, and ultimately gave his life for the cause of justice and representation.
When the USNS Harvey Milk was christened, it felt like a small but meaningful step toward acknowledging that queer Americans have always served—often in silence, often in danger, always with dignity. That ship’s name stood for something more than just metal and machinery. It honored visibility, service, and sacrifice.
To remove that name—during Pride Month, no less—isn’t just tone-deaf. It’s cruel. It’s shameful. It’s part of a larger effort we’re seeing to roll back the clock on diversity, inclusion, and basic decency. This isn’t about strengthening the military. It’s about erasing queer people from the story of America. It’s about rewriting history in a way that suits a narrow, regressive agenda.
We’re told this has something to do with restoring “warrior ethos” and “core values.” But here’s what I know: real strength includes empathy. Real warriors fight for all people, not just the ones who look or love like them. Real leadership doesn’t cower behind performative patriotism—it uplifts the truth, even when that truth makes some people uncomfortable.
Secretary Hegseth’s record already includes a DUI arrest and a long list of questionable decisions. But this one? This feels personal. This feels targeted. This feels like a slap in the face to every queer person who has ever served this country and to everyone who continues to fight for equality and recognition today.
Harvey Milk once said, “Hope will never be silent.” And neither should we.
So no, we’re not going to sit quietly while our heroes are erased. We’re not going to accept Pride Month as a time for symbolic gestures and empty rainbows while the actual legacy of LGBTQ+ people is being dismantled. We’re going to keep remembering. We’re going to keep speaking. And we’re going to make damn sure that the name Harvey Milk is never forgotten.
6 comments:
You forgot rape accusations, multiple wives, children conceived with other women than his wife at the time, domestic violence, public drunkenness, alcoholism, financial impropriety at a non-profit. Did I miss anything?
You probably missed some, but if we listed all the atrocious behavior, sins, and criminal offenses of the current government, the list would be never-ending. I enjoy that people call Hegseth the DUI hire since he did away with DEI in the military and Department of Defense. I personally think that this administration has two goals: 1) throw everything at us at once in the most egregious way possible so that we cannot keep up with all of it, though someone is keeping tack of all of it, just like they did during his first administration and 2) do as much damage as possible before the midterm elections, because if Republicans lose control of Congress in 2026 (and I pray they will), especially if they have enough votes to pass veto proof laws and begin reversing the damage of these executive order.
My fervent wish is that there are enough Democrats elected to the House to impeach the President and Vice President and enough in the Senate to convict them, remove them from office, and bar them from ever serving in a federally elected position again.
Sadly, I don't think my wish will come true, but we can dream.
I saw this news and all of the other names Hegseth is going to erase and more, he intent to rename some US army bases back to their original «traitor» federate names.
USA is loosing its dignitiy and rememberance of those who fought for the Freedom of USA and the world.
So outrageous and none sense as your «commander in chief» did dodge the draft 5 times showing how coward he is and will always be.
TACO 47 did spit on some of the military people no matter gays or straights in the past and Hegseth is following his boss's steps.
I'm so sorry for you, all LGBTQ Americans and also to the black and latino one.
Something you would never see in Canada.
¡Qué escándalo y qué vergüenza para un estado actuar de esta manera!
Ángel
Et pourtant vous, les Américains, restez assis et laissez cela se produire !
Pas si courageux et une insulte à ces Américains qui ont sacrifié leur vie à la guerre, des vie plus sacrées pour nous en Europe. Et vous vétérans de guerre et les organisations devraient avoir honte de ne rien dire à propos de cette folie de leur gouvernement.
-Beau Mec à Deauville
No surprise from the criminals and troglodytes running our country and the lemmings going over the cliff with them. Veterans groups need to speak out and raise hell for the sake of our Nation’s dignity and honor.
Rex in DC
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