The naval commander specializing in transgender healthcare was denied after Tiktok’s right-wing account Libs flagged her role to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses.
Targeted executives
Commander Janelmala, the Navy’s Senior Medical Officer and Deputy Medical Director for Transgender Care, was suddenly removed from her position after the biographies were circulated online. Marra has been serving since 2004 and began his career through the Health Professionals Scholarship program. She later directed Bravo’s medical services at the expeditionary medical facility.
Her firing followed a virus post by Libs on Tiktok, a social media account run by Chaya Raichik, known for targeting LGBTQ+ people and institutions. The account highlighted Marra’s role in providing transgender healthcare and asked Hegseth to “find this out.”
The post quickly spread, drawing more than 10 million views, 7,000 reposts and 20,000 likes. A few hours later, Hegseth responded on his previous Twitter X with a short message, “Updated Pronoun: Girlfriend/Dismissal.”
A broader political context
Former Fox News host Hegseth has long been opposed to diversity initiatives. After Donald Trump returned to presidency in January, he signed an executive order that repeated federal and military diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Hegses, who recently shifted his title from Secretary of Defense to Secretary of War, has vowed to actively enforce the order.
The conservative commentator also argued against women in the role of combat, dismissing the phrase “our diversity is our strength” as “silly” in military culture. His stance has attracted criticism from service members who view diversity as essential to morale and mission preparation.
Mara support
Her firing sparked rage across social media, but her colleagues described Mara as a dedicated doctor, whose work improved thousands of lives.
Astronaut and author Brie Fulham praised her record on LinkedIn.
Fram noted that Marra was appointed a top female doctor in the military health system in 2018 and served as a regimental surgeon for the marine unit. “Thanks to Dr. Mara, thousands of servicemen are living a better life today,” writes Fulham. “Others live thanks to her. And is this appreciation she has gained from her country?”
fall out
Marra has not commented publicly on the termination, but her removal underscores the conflict between continuing attacks on LGBTQ+ service members and the efforts of supporters who claim inclusion will strengthen the military.
As Libs in Tiktok continues to target individuals, the decision to end Marra shows how closely the Pentagon is working with culture war politics under Heggs at the expense of career service members.
Source: Gayety – gayety.com
