A professor’s paper exploring LGBTQ themes in naval adventure literature has been uninvited from a prestigious Naval Academy history symposium. Seth Stein LeJacq, a history professor at Hunter College in New York, received the news on June 4, 2023, just a day after Tom McCarthy, chair of the Naval Academy’s history department, resigned. LeJacq asserts that the cancellation of his paper is linked to an anti-LGBTQ stance within the U.S. Defense Department under former President Donald Trump and former Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
McCarthy’s resignation letter indicated that he had been instructed to withdraw LeJacq’s paper “for reasons having nothing to do with scholarship.” He expressed concern over what he viewed as a violation of trust and potential harm to the department’s reputation. The Naval Academy did not comment on inquiries regarding the circumstances of McCarthy’s resignation or the removal of LeJacq’s work.
The news has drawn criticism from Naval Academy alumni, including William Marks, co-founder of Operation Caged Bird. Marks, a former Navy spokesperson and 1996 graduate, condemned the censorship, stating that it contradicts the ideals of academic inquiry taught at the academy. “The largest regular meeting of naval historians in the world requires that all perspectives be given fair and equal review — not just ones approved by the Trump administration,” he said.
The decision to cancel LeJacq’s paper is part of a broader trend at the Naval Academy, which has seen changes to its curriculum and literature in response to Trump’s executive order, “Restoring America’s Fighting Force.” This initiative has led to the removal of numerous books and alterations in admissions policies and visitation regulations.
LeJacq’s paper, titled “Liberation, Homophobia, and Historical Memory: Queer Pasts and Futures in Historical Naval Adventure Fiction,” was initially accepted in May, as confirmed by an email signed by symposium committee Director Capt. Stan Fisher and then-Deputy Director Abby Mullen. LeJacq intended to discuss how authors like Patrick O’Brian, known for his naval novels, portray gender and sexuality.
The McMullen Symposium, scheduled for September 18-19, 2023, in Annapolis, is recognized as the largest gathering of naval historians globally. LeJacq expressed disappointment over his exclusion, emphasizing the importance of academic discourse. “I wanted experts and other people who really know the work to look at it closely,” he stated.
During the conversation that led to his uninvitation, a Naval Academy staff member clarified that the decision was not based on the quality of his research. LeJacq, who earned his doctorate in the history of medicine from Johns Hopkins University, has previously focused on sexuality within British naval culture and is writing a book on sex and gender in the British Navy from the 1600s to the mid-1800s. He described his research as serious and well-founded, having reviewed over 100 novels to support his findings.
The controversy surrounding LeJacq’s paper follows a series of actions taken by the Trump administration regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at the Naval Academy. In April, the academy announced the removal of 381 books from its library as part of a review of DEI materials, following directives from Hegseth’s office.
In a letter to Provost Samara Firebaugh, McCarthy criticized the decision to rescind LeJacq’s paper as incompatible with the academy’s values. He argued that vetting papers based on non-scholarly merit undermines the trust placed in the institution by the global community of naval and maritime historians.
As of now, the interim department chair, Cmdr. Ryan Mewett, has not responded to requests for comment on the matter. The Naval Academy’s recent actions continue to raise concerns among scholars and advocates for academic freedom, as they appear to align with a broader trend of limiting diverse viewpoints in military educational settings.
LeJacq concluded with a call for engagement with his research, stating, “I’ve done serious work and I stand by it. It should be judged on its merits, not just because of the topic or a word they don’t like in the title.”
