'Woke' Canadian Military Allows Dyed Hair and Face Tattoos to Be More 'Inclusive'
'Tattoos are permitted on the face as long as they conform to the regulations'
© press
The Canadian military is set to relax their dress code rules, allowing soldiers to sport tattoos on their faces and dye their hair.
The Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) announced that the dress code of the Canadian armed forces would be greatly relaxed in September of this year, complaining that the current rules were decades old.
“The bottom line is, the Canadian Forces Dress Instructions are about 50 years old and so the policy as a whole was overdue for revision,” the DND said in a statement on the Government of Canada’s website.
“Tattoos are permitted on the face as long as they conform to the regulations outlined in Section 2 – Appearance,” the DND stated.
It went on to list banned tattoos being those that express “hatred, violence, discrimination, or harassment."
"And tattoos that a [Canadian Armed Forces] member knows, or ought to know, promote and/or express: racism, sexism, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia, ableism, or sexual explicit material.”
All colours of hair are also permitted, including unnatural colours like pink and blue — although the DND warns that such colours should not inhibit operation duties:
“For example, bright coloured hair may have a negative operational impact during field operations or training."
WATCH:
The Canadian Forces Dress Instructions are being updated. The revisions will honour the diversity of all members by removing barriers related to choice of clothing and other aspects of professional appearance in uniform. #MyCAF pic.twitter.com/rdobRQCmRT
— Canadian Armed Forces (@CanadianForces) July 5, 2022
"Leaders are invited to discuss with their members to find a simple, suitable accommodation, such as a scarf to cover the hair," he added.
Canadian General Wayne Eyre, the chief of the defence staff of Canada, insisted on Twitter this week:
“Uniformity does not equal discipline, or operational effectiveness, any more than the colour or length of your hair defines your commitment or professional competence."
“Some will consider this progress, while others may see this as unwarranted,” he admitted.
The changes come as the Canadian Armed Forces struggle to find new recruits, according to a March report from broadcaster CBC that claims Canada’s military is around 7,600 soldiers short of operating at full strength and has had major issues recruiting women.
The British government, also struggling with recruitment, announced plans to encourage more women to join their armed forces.
The plan unveiled last December by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to double the number of women recruits in the forces by 2030.
Uniforms no longer divided by gender
CAF uniforms will no longer be divided into "male" and "female" categories, and can be worn in combination.
The reaction of a foreign cartoonist to the permission of the Canadian military since September to wear skirts and other clothes from the women's wardrobe, grow long hair and nails, and have tattoos on the face. pic.twitter.com/1hCo63ZMyQ
— Spriteer (@spriteer_774400) July 9, 2022
"Both catalogues are open to all members and they may be intermixed," the page says.
"CAF members may choose whichever design best fits, as long as it is worn as per the Dress Instructions."
Under the current Dress Instructions, only women are permitted to wear skirts and blouses as part of a uniform. The revisions allow men to wear these items as well.
In a statement issued to CBC, a DND spokesperson said the changes are meant to strike a balance.
"The revisions will provide individuals with more choices to support respect, diversity," it said.
"While continuing to prioritize operational effectiveness and safety of CAF members," the statement reads.
