Is it time for gendered hair standards to go?

[hunter22]

I understand this may cause a bit of discussion. I'm a long time lurker, first time poster. I ask that people read what I am saying and provide me with their thoughts, or with an answer if they understand what the law would actually say in this situation. This is a serious question, and is not intended to provoke people. I am hoping that the admins will allow this discussion to take place, and not delete it simply because it may be a challenging discussion to have. I believe that this forum is a place to have discussions, and this is an important issue to everyone here.

I am considering a human rights complaint regarding Canadian Forces hair standards. I am a male in the military.
If I identify myself as a male, I must have short-cropped hair.

Hair shall be taper trimmed
at the back, sides, and above the
ears to blend with the hair-style; be no
more than 15 cm (6 in.) in length and
sufficiently short that, when the hair is
groomed and headdress is removed, no
hair shall touch the ears or fall below the
top of the eyebrows; be no more than 4 cm
(1-1/2 in.) in bulk at the top of the head,
gradually decreasing to blend with the
taper-trimmed sides and back; and be kept
free from the neck to a distance of 2.5 cm
(1 in.) above the shirt collar. Taper trimmed
square back styles and shaving of all the
hair on the head are permitted.

If I identify myself as a female, I may have my hair styled in any of the ways acceptable for a male, in addition to those allowable for a female.

Subsection 15. (1) of the Canadian Constitution says: “Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.”

Subsection 3. (1) of the Canadian Human Rights Act says: “For all purposes of this Act, the prohibited grounds of discrimination are race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability and conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted or in respect of which a record suspension has been ordered.”

I believe that Canadian Forces hair standards are a clear case of discrimination on the basis of sex within the legally enforceable regulations of the Canadian Forces (an extension of statutory law). Dress regulations are therefore federal government legislation directly subject to the Constitution.

They clearly discriminate on the basis of gender without any real purpose other than maintaining outdated gender expectations regarding hairstyle. I believe that a human rights commission challenge on this point would be immediately successful.

I am quite serious about this question, and hope it will be taken seriously by forum members. Do you think this has merits?

 

[MikeL]

*Assuming you are only bringing this up because you disagree with the standards because you want long hair*
So... you joined the military and disagree that as a male you need short'ish hair.  Is requiring short hair as a member of the Military a surprise to you?


Personally.. I don't think you have much to go on here in terms of violating human rights.  If a member belonged to a ethnic group/religion that was allowed to have long hair by the CF, but your CoC was not allowing you to have long hair that would be different.


Because you are basing this argument on violating human rights, are there other standards we should relax/drop? Such as allowing males to have pierced ears,  drop the rules regarding tattoos?  Now,  back to the hair;  how long should male hair be allowed?  Slightly more relaxed standards then what we have,  or the same rules of females?

Would this fit into what the Canadian public/military feel is an acceptable military appearance?  Is the requirement for males to have shorter hair then females effecting anyone's quality of life?

 

[Eye In The Sky]

A human rights complaint??  Seriously?  I don't see any discrimination, or human rights violations, or anything of the like.  Furthermore, I can't believe, of all the possible "injustices" in our world, this is the one you've decided to fight for.  What next, we should be able to wear earrings and makeup and panties?

Sorry, but I can't even wish you good luck on this...endeavour of yours.  I hope you aren't also going to go on a hunger strike *cough diet cough*  though.

:

 

[Gunplumber]

He did not say he wanted to have long hair or anything. He is stating that there are different standards for both sexes and , I am assuming, that he dosnt think the ladies should have so many choices when males do not. I just dont think he wrote it down to well. I think we need more detail in this.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

OK so given that your take on his post is correct, what is the requested result of this bound-to-be-succesful COA then?  Males can wear long hair, or all females must go to the male standard??

Or is this just a pointless COA with no desired change at the end?

 

[Gunplumber]

I personally dont think males should have long hair, If you want to join the military then make the commitment to have short hair. I dont care if the ladies want to have long hair as long as they keep it in a bun or similar but when it comes to corn rows and other stuff I dont think that is too military. Maybe there should be the same commitment? This is possibly what he is getting at? If he is suggesting that female hair regs should be exactly the same as males then I think that is going a bit far.

 

[my72jeep]

When you join you agree to the Hair standard If you can't agree to it, Don't join.

 

[dapaterson]

It's a very valid question.  What reasons (not traditions) dictate that men must have short hair and women may have long hair?  Why are women in the military permitted to have pierced ears, but not men?  If a woman's long hair and earrings do not impact operational effectiveness and safety, then a man's long hair and earrings would not impact them either.

Many of the CF's dress and appearance regulations are based on a 1950s "Leave it to Beaver" mentality.  That needs to be tossed.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

So you support the idea of male soldiers with long flowing hair and earrings ???

 

[dapaterson]

So you support the idea of male soldiers with long flowing hair and earrings ???

I support the idea of all soldiers held to the same dress and appearance standards.

And since we've proven that we can have soldiers with long hair and earrings...

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I am going to have to state I am one of the forum members and serving CF members who do not, in any way, want to see earrings and Goldilocks hair on male soldiers, airmen or sailors.  Ever. 

 

[my72jeep]

So you support the idea of male soldiers with long flowing hair and earrings ???

I was in Denmark a wile back and was invited aboard a Danish Naval ship it was crewed by a mix of long haired unshaven earring wearing(both ears) hippies, and short haired clean shaven men. I was told the drafted crew had no requirement to wash let alone shave, The volunteer crew was payed a bit more and required to meet a set standard. guess what crew I bought drinks for as a thank you for the tour at the bar that night, the ones that looked like Sailors.

 

[PPCLI Guy]

I support the idea of all soldiers held to the same dress and appearance standards.

And since we've proven that we can have soldiers with long hair and earrings...

I have to say that, intellectually, I completely agree with you, and believe that the OP has a valid point.

Emotively however, I have a different reaction - one that probably speaks to tribal identifiers and a whole host of other issues.

Maybe it is time to have ea close look at this.

 

[Kat Stevens]

One standard, fair enough, but I personally would look silly with my hair in a bun, and would therefore probably keep mine short.  If I still had a dog in this fight, that is.

 

[zander1976]

Kat has a good point, if you are a man you are going to go bald anyway so just shave it now. I was never a big fan of having short hair but I clipped it awhile ago and never looked back. It was the greatest thing ever.  As far as I am concerned, the system is perfect the way it is.

 

[Bass ackwards]

Of the myriad double standards and injustices that are out there, this one seems like a very strange thing for a male to decide to get his back up over.

Iv'e long since left the CF but I still keep my hair short because it is far more comfortable that way. It's cooler in the summer, dries much faster, requires little or no grooming.

On the other hand, most males -and I'm certainly one of them- tend to prefer women with long hair. If a woman wishes to put up with the extra work and discomfort, then God bless 'em I say.

I can't see what this complaint would achieve other than either making it legal for men to be less comfortable or forcing women to be less attractive. 

 

[Michael OLeary]

So you support the idea of male soldiers with long flowing hair and earrings ???

As long as the "flowing hair" is subject to the following:

Women (see Figure 2-2-3). Hair shall not extend below the lower edge of the shirt collar (see below.) Exaggerated styles, including those with excessive fullness or extreme height, are not authorized. Braids, if worn, shall be styled conservatively and tied tightly: secured at the end by a knot or a small unadorned fastener. A single braid shall be worn in the centre of the back. Double braids shall be worn behind the shoulders. Hair shall be a maximum length when gathered behind the head and braided which does not extend below the top of the armpit. With the permission of a Commanding Officer, a 60-day transition period may be granted a member to grow her hair longer for re-styling, during which time hair may extend below the lower edge of the shirt collar; all the while maintaining a positive military appearance, and subject to the member’s safety.

Braids or buns boys, which will it be?

... an d...

female members in uniform may wear a single pair of plain gold, silver stud or pearl earrings in pierced ears. 

Sorry soldier, that pretty gold ring has to go, Dress regs only allow a simple stud.

>

 

[hunter22]

It's a very valid question.  What reasons (not traditions) dictate that men must have short hair and women may have long hair?  Why are women in the military permitted to have pierced ears, but not men?  If a woman's long hair and earrings do not impact operational effectiveness and safety, then a man's long hair and earrings would not impact them either.

Many of the CF's dress and appearance regulations are based on a 1950s "Leave it to Beaver" mentality.  That needs to be tossed.

This is a very good point. Long hair (subject to a unisex standard) would not impact my ability to be a soldier, so what difference does it make if I am a male or female. It is quite clearly constitutionally invalid.

The Prime Minister of Canada does not have a haircut that would pass a military inspection.

And it definitely isn't just limited to braids or buns. Check out the allowable short hairstyles as well - so long as it doesn't go past the lower edge of the collar it would be allowable.

 

[my72jeep]

This is a very good point. Long hair (subject to a unisex standard) would not impact my ability to be a soldier, so what difference does it make if I am a male or female. It is quite clearly constitutionally invalid.

During a Crisis who are you going to look for to save you, the long haired guy with a gun or the short haired professional who looks like hes there to help?
Its not wether you can do the job Its weather you look like you can do the job it the public eye. My  :2c:

 

[Jungle]

When I joined, it was a chargeable offence to shave one's head or have a "square" cut at the back of the neck... I have friends who were charged for shaving their head.

Then it changed, we are now permitted to shave our heads and have a square-cut neck. I did not notice any drop in morale or effectiveness... I met a few guys of native origins who wear long hear in a braid... nobody even notices anymore.

Maybe we give grooming standards too much importance...