The new political campaign with the motto “Our strength is made of differences” by the Swedish military features men with rainbow-coloured nail polish and has been slammed for moral grandstanding.
The Swedish Armed Forces' new pro-LGBT campaign hailing “differences and diversity” as a main forte has sparked controversy.
According to Supreme Commander Micael Bydén, the new campaign, which features images of soldiers wearing nail polish in rainbow colours, is about showing a “stance for the equal value of all people”.
Bydén even emphasised that “differences, diversity, and the breadth of various experiences” are a strength, as they increase the military's ability to act unpredictably against an attacker.
The supreme commander also justified the military's participation in this year's digital edition of Pride due to the coronavirus pandemic as a “natural responsibility” and a way of “showing tolerance of the people's differences the army is supposed to defend”.
While this is not the first time the Swedish Armed Forces have voiced their support for the LGBT cause or shown commitment to the Pride movement, this new campaign has sparked accusations of politcal activism, not least from politicians.
Sweden Democrats legal spokesman Adam Marttinen suggested it was not wise for the military to take part in politicised movements, reminding that Pride had previously expelled both the Sweden Democrats and the Civic Assembly parties, despite the latter's…
