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Navy Transgender Healthcare Leader Fired After Libs of TikTok Post Prompts Pete Hegseth Action
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On Thursday, the far-right social media account Libs of TikTok, notorious for targeting queer individuals and organizations, published a post highlighting the Navy’s deputy medical director for transgender healthcare, Commander Janelle Marra. The post included a screenshot of Marra’s professional profile, noting her role as “EMF-Bravo Navy Deputy Medical Director for Transgender Healthcare” at a California naval center. The account tagged Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, asking him to “look into this” and disparaging Marra’s use of she/her pronouns and her work in transgender healthcare .
Within hours, Hegseth responded publicly on X (formerly Twitter) with a post reading, “Pronouns UPDATED: She/Her/Fired,” signaling Marra’s immediate dismissal from her position . While the Department of Defense has not issued an official confirmation of the firing, multiple reputable outlets have reported Marra’s removal, and Hegseth’s post has been widely interpreted as confirmation .
Commander Marra, whose naval career began in 2004 via a health professions scholarship, had served as senior medical officer, deputy medical director of transgender care for the Navy, and director of medical services for Expeditionary Medical Facility Bravo. Her biography with the Defense Health Agency highlighted her key role in providing healthcare for transgender service members .
The Libs of TikTok post, which criticized military diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies and specifically named Marra, quickly went viral—amassing over 10.8 million views, 7,000 reposts, and 20,000 likes . Advocates have raised alarms about the vulnerability of queer staff to coordinated harassment campaigns, especially those working in sensitive or high-profile positions.
Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News presenter, was appointed Secretary of War after Donald Trump’s return to office in January 2025. The administration swiftly moved to dismantle DEI programs across federal agencies, including the military . Hegseth himself has a history of inflammatory remarks about diversity and inclusion, previously describing DEI as “the dumbest phrase on planet Earth in the military,” and opposing women in combat roles .
Queer advocates have expressed grave concern that the firing of Marra, apparently in direct response to a social media campaign, sets a dangerous precedent for the weaponization of digital platforms against vulnerable public servants. Human rights organizations, including the Southern Poverty Law Center, have previously designated Libs of TikTok as an extremist group due to its ongoing anti-queer propaganda .
Queer organizations nationwide have condemned the dismissal, calling it a “chilling signal” of declining protections for both LGBTQ+ employees and healthcare access in the U.S. military. In a statement, the National Center for Transgender Equality said, “Firing a dedicated healthcare professional for providing essential care to transgender service members is unconscionable and undermines military readiness and morale.”
Experts warn that the incident will likely have a “profound chilling effect,” discouraging LGBTQ+ professionals from pursuing or retaining public service roles, and signaling that their careers may be at risk from coordinated online attacks .
Alejandra Caraballo, a prominent civil rights attorney, compared Libs of TikTok’s tactics to “the digital stasi,” referencing the East German secret police, and warned that the episode may embolden further harassment campaigns against LGBTQ+ individuals in federal employment .
The firing of Commander Marra is the latest in a series of high-profile attacks on LGBTQ+ representation and inclusion in the federal government. Since January 2025, the rollback of DEI initiatives has led to increased uncertainty about the status and safety of LGBTQ+ personnel, particularly in the armed forces .
There are mounting calls from lawmakers, human rights groups, and the LGBTQ+ community for the Department of Defense to clarify the circumstances of Marra’s dismissal and to establish safeguards against retaliatory firings prompted by online harassment. The implications extend far beyond a single career—raising urgent questions about the independence of federal agencies, the safety of LGBTQ+ employees, and the future of inclusive healthcare in the U.S. military .
