Recently, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg found time, among the many commitments that the conflict in Ukraine and European efforts entail, to record a video to mark the “International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia.” Yes, you read that correctly. After organizing the first conference at HQ two years ago on LGBTQ+ perspectives in daily professional engagement, this year the NATO Secretary General went further.
Almost every sentence of the one-and-a-half-minute speech sounded like it was written by an activist of the large LGBTQ+ corporations. “NATO’s strength is our diversity,” Stoltenberg said, “so it is important to reflect on and celebrate the extraordinary diversity of our populations.” Do you think he refers to the diversity of histories, identities, cultures (Turkey is part of NATO), religions? Should the organization “celebrate” any particular identity? There are already many and various international organizations and pan-European and intergovernmental institutions that have this vocation. NATO’s task is to ensure security. Or perhaps not?
“I respect every member of the LGBTQ+ community,” Stoltenberg continued, “and I am proud to call myself an ally of yours.” In fact, Stoltenberg’s speech is based on a false statement, because when he says that NATO is an alliance “united by values,” he is describing a desire of his rather than a reality. It is actually united by geography (hence the term “North Atlantic”) and maintains a strong difference in values among countries, not least in terms of whether or not they recognize privileges toward homosexuals, policies on freedom of educational choice, prevailing religion, etc.
Even more troubling, we read on NATO’s website page that when the Secretary General declares he appreciates every member of the LGBTQ+ community serving at NATO Headquarters and around the world, he actually shows that there has been discrimination in favor of these ‘classified’ LGBTQ+ personnel, who are perhaps valued more for their sexual aptitude and desires than for their skills and abilities. Now the question arises, is NATO here to defend us from our enemies or are they going to attack us with LGBTQ+ armies?