P.T. Barnum once said, “There’s no such thing as bad publicity.” The Netflix series “Boots” is no stranger to this belief, as it became Netflix’s No.2 most-watched show after being called “woke garbage” by the Pentagon.

“Boots” is a true story inspired by former US Marine Greg Cope White’s memoir, “The Pink Marine.” The series follows protagonist Cameron Cope, played by Miles Heizer, as he navigates boot camp, showcasing other characters as well.

The series depicts different aspects of the military through the perspective of Greg Cope White, wrapping his brutal boot camp moments in humor as he says in an interview with Writers Digest Script.

The show, as well as the book, attempts to highlight the experience of being gay within the U.S. Marines in the 90s humorously. Aside from that, it tells a story of brotherhood, acceptance, hardship, and personal struggles.

Although it was given an 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, government officials did not perceive the series well.  A spokesperson tells Entertainment Weekly that the Pentagon does not support what it calls Netflix’s “ideological agenda.”

Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson’s statement states that, “Under President Trump and Secretary [Pete] Hegseth, the U.S. military is getting back to restoring the warrior ethos. Our standards across the board are elite, uniform, and sex neutral because the weight of a rucksack or a human being doesn’t care if you’re a man, a woman, gay, or straight.”

She continues to say that officials “will not compromise our standards to satisfy an ideological agenda, unlike Netflix, whose leadership consistently produces and feeds woke garbage to their audience and children.”

Despite what the Pentagon says, ratings and fan reviews were overwhelmingly positive. Netflix and Greg Cope White brought awareness to a large group of people that usually go unacknowledged and undermined. Hopefully,  LGBTQ+ soldiers will see more recognition in American history.