{"id":28683,"date":"2023-04-18T20:30:10","date_gmt":"2023-04-18T20:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2023\/04\/18\/admiral-defends-non-binary-officer-against-attacks-from-gop-lawmakers\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:52:27","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:52:27","slug":"admiral-defends-non-binary-officer-against-attacks-from-gop-lawmakers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/congress\/2023\/04\/18\/admiral-defends-non-binary-officer-against-attacks-from-gop-lawmakers\/","title":{"rendered":"Admiral defends non-binary officer against attacks from GOP lawmakers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/qNwJGum3N8E?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen title=\"Navy Chief defends non-binary sailor in Senate hearing\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday defended a non-binary Navy officer Tuesday against criticism from Republicans who have used a video of the officer describing their first deployment to question the sea service\u2019s warfighting priorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a video that the Navy Judge Advocate General Corps posted to its Instagram account earlier this month, Lt. j.g. Audrey Knutson described participating in an LGBTQ spoken-word night while deployed aboard the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford and sharing a personally written poem with the ship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Knutson, who identified as non-binary in the video, called the experience the \u201cculmination of the whole deployment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019ll tell you why I\u2019m particularly proud of this sailor,\u201d Gilday said. \u201cHer grandfather served during World War II, and he was gay, and he was ostracized in the very institution that she not only joined and is proud to be a part of, but she volunteered to deploy on Ford. And she\u2019ll likely deploy again next month when Ford goes back to sea.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The video had prompted Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, who has never served in the military, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/marcorubio\/status\/1646205509568020488\" target=\"_blank\">to tweet <\/a>Wednesday that, \u201cWhile China prepares for war this is what they have our @USNavy focused on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/Cq6MnU1p5Y0\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/Cq6MnU1p5Y0\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\"> <div style=\" display: flex; 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font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div><\/div><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/a><p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/Cq6MnU1p5Y0\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\">A post shared by U.S. Navy JAG Corps (@usnavyjagcorps)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a former college football coach from Alabama, weighed in on the matter during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Tuesday, claiming that he had \u201ca lot of problems with this video\u201d and how the junior officer described the spoken-word night and poetry reading as the highlight of the deployment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI hope we train our officers to prioritize their sailors, not themselves,\u201d Tuberville told Gilday at the hearing. \u201cDid it surprise you that a junior officer says the highlight of her deployment \u2014 her first and the ship\u2019s first \u2014 was about herself and her own achievement?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Neither Gilday nor Tuberville used \u201cthey\/their\u201d pronouns to describe Knutson, though a LinkedIn and Instagram account with the same name and photo similar to Knutson\u2019s JAG post identified as they\/their\/them.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2022\/09\/29\/uss-gerald-r-ford-expected-to-deploy-for-first-time-in-october\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"157\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Ford.jpg_bf13b8.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">USS Gerald R Ford expected to deploy for first time in October<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The carrier&#039;s strike group will focus on \u201cinnovation and interoperability\u201d as the crew becomes better acquainted with the vessel\u2019s new capabilities.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gilday pushed back, explaining that the Navy asks people from all over the country and from all different backgrounds to serve. He said that it\u2019s the responsibility of the commanding officer to \u201cbuild a cohesive warfighting team that is going to follow the law, and the law requires that we be able to conduct prompt, sustained operations at sea.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat level of trust that a commanding officer develops across that unit has to be grounded on dignity and respect,\u201d Gilday said. \u201cAnd so, if that officer can lawfully join the United States Navy, is willing to serve, and willing to take the same oath that you and I took to put their life on the line, then I\u2019m proud to serve beside them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tuberville said he takes issue with the \u201cobsession\u201d with race, sex and gender because he claimed it is \u201cfocused on self, it\u2019s not focused on team.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAnd to do a poem with all that, 8,000 other people on the ship and to focus on herself,\u201d Tuberville said. \u201cAnd don\u2019t get me wrong, her uncle or whoever that fought \u2013 my dad died in the military. Okay. I\u2019m all for that. But I\u2019m all for building the machine. Our recruiting is suffering. We don\u2019t need to have another Bud Light moment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tuberville appeared to reference Bud Light\u2019s recent sponsorship of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/dylanmulvaney\/\" target=\"_blank\">TikTok influencer Dylan Mulvaney<\/a>, a transgender woman and transgender activist, that has prompted a backlash against the beer by some Americans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tuberville\u2019s father is a World War II veteran, and the recipient of five Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tuberville.senate.gov\/about\/\" target=\"_blank\">according to Tuberville\u2019s official biography.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rubio\u2019s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Navy Times on Gilday\u2019s remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In February, Rubio <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rubio.senate.gov\/public\/index.cfm\/2023\/2\/rubio-banks-introduce-bill-to-regulate-transgender-service-in-u-s-military\" target=\"_blank\">introduced legislation<\/a> into the Senate called the Ensuring Military Readiness Act, which would bar most \u201cpersons who identify as transgender with a history of diagnosis of gender dysphoria\u201d from serving in the military, with a few exceptions. Tuberville is an original co-sponsor of the measure, which was also introduced in the House by Republican Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe military has strict standards for who can and cannot qualify to serve. For example, under President Biden, you can\u2019t serve with a peanut allergy,\u201d Rubio said in a statement in February. \u201cBiden has turned our military into a woke social experiment. It is a stupid way to go about protecting our nation. We need to spend more time thinking about how to counter threats like China, Russia, and North Korea and less time thinking about pronouns.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2023\/03\/09\/aircraft-carrier-ford-embarks-with-full-air-wing-for-first-time\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Ford6.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Aircraft carrier Ford embarks with full air wing for first time<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The ship will now operate with the full air wing during the Composite Unit Training Exercise ahead of a deployment later this year.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Ford <a href=\"https:\/\/www.navytimes.com\/news\/your-navy\/2023\/03\/09\/aircraft-carrier-ford-embarks-with-full-air-wing-for-first-time\/\" target=\"_blank\">departed Naval Station Norfolk in October<\/a> for a brief service-retained deployment that lasted just under two months, and included approximately 80 percent of a full carrier air wing. That deployment placed the carrier under the authority of Gilday instead of a geographic combatant commander, as is the standard. The carrier is slate to conduct a full-length deployment later this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Operations in the fall were designed to familiarize the crew with the vessel\u2019s new technologies, as the strike group focused on air defense, anti-subsurface warfare, and distributed maritime operations. The operations also provided an opportunity to work with six other NATO allies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Ford, which was originally scheduled to deploy in 2018, wrapped up its Composite Training Unit Exercise required to deploy on April 2, where it worked to integrate carrier strike group elements as a cohesive force, according to the Navy. The exercise also marked the first time the carrier was embarked with a full carrier air wing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Ford has a crew of approximately 5,500 sailors, including those assigned to the ship, air wings and other staff members, <a href=\"https:\/\/allhands.navy.mil\/Features\/Ford\/#:~:text=Crew%3A%20Approximately%205%2C500%20(ship%2C,Airframe%20Missile%20(RAM)%20mounts.\">according to the Navy<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This month, Lt. j.g. 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