Navy Drag Queen Harpy Daniels Hits Back at Navy SEAL: 'Proud To Serve'

A U.S. Navy sailor who has attracted scrutiny for also being a drag queen has responded to criticism from a former Navy SEAL who was part of the team that killed Osama bin Laden.

Yeoman 2nd Class Joshua Kelley, who goes by the stage name Harpy Daniels, received attention online recently after becoming one of five "digital ambassador" for the Navy, a program which a spokesperson said aimed "to reach a wide range of potential candidates as the Navy navigates the most challenging recruiting environment it has faced."

Critics have argued that using a drag queen would deter many from joining the Navy, worsening its recruitment problems. However, Kelley has said that Harpy Daniels represented the diversity in the armed forces that was already there.

"I'm proud to serve, and I'm proud for the stuff that I've done within the military too," Kelley told NewsNation on Tuesday. "I'm more than just a drag queen. I have records of awards and accomplishments that I've done myself along with any other service member who's served."

During the interview, Kelley was presented with a tweet by Robert J. O'Neill—who has claimed that he was the SEAL who shot dead bin Laden, though this is disputed—which read: "Alright. The U.S. Navy is now using an enlisted sailor Drag Queen as a recruiter. I'm done. China is going to destroy us ... I can't believe I fought for this b*******."

Asked if such a statement hurt coming from another, former member of the Navy, Kelley responded that it did not. "You have your own opinions, you have your own views," the yeoman said. "And as a sailor, it's my job to defend that freedom, and that includes even my freedom of expression."

Kelley added: "I just simply [happen] to be the first person that authentically said: 'I want to still be me and serve my country.' And I believe I definitely did that. And I'm not the only one: every branch has drag queens, has LGBTQ+ members. And if anything, drag itself should be nothing new for anyone who's served."

Kelley, who joined the Navy in 2016, spoke about performing as Harpy Daniels to raise fellow sailors' morale in a 2018 interview. The digital ambassadors' program began in 2022 and ended in April, with those participating not receiving compensation for their work.

The use of the Harpy Daniels persona sparked a renewed debate about LGBTQ+ inclusion, at a time when the Military Times reported the Navy expects to miss its recruitment goals for the year by 6,000 personnel.

For instance, Robby Starbuck, a music producer who ran in a Republican congressional primary in 2022, described the initiative as "insane." He added in a tweet: "The military has a huge recruiting/retention crisis because they went woke. How did they try to fix it? By going more woke."

Asked about whether the ambassadorship had attracted new recruits, Kelley suggested the increased attention the yeoman had received due to the social media outrage had anecdotally worked.

"Recently, due to all the media that's been on me [in] the last week, I've actually had many LGBT members, queer members reach out to me to seek out recruitment and I've informed them where to go," Kelley said.

The U.S. military has not accommodated LGBTQ+ rights with ease. A Department of Defense report for fiscal year 2016 found that 22.8 percent of LGBTQ+ active service personnel had faced sexual harassment, compared to 6.2 percent among those who did not identify as LGBTQ+.

Even after then-President Barack Obama repealed the "don't ask, don't tell" policy in 2011, the military prevented trans individuals from serving. In 2016, the Pentagon altered its policies, allowing trans people to join the armed forces.

Kelley cited "don't ask, don't tell" as a reason that the LGBTQ+ community had "simply not had the opportunity to shine as bright" in the military. The sailor has previously spoken about LBGTQ+ acceptance among the Navy's command more recently.

A U.S. Navy spokesperson previously told Newsweek: "The Navy is proud of and stands by any person who is willing to take an oath to put their life on the line in defense of this nation.

"Much like the country we serve, our Navy is stronger when we draw upon our diverse resources, skills, capabilities and talents. We remain committed to an inclusive environment."