WASHINGTON (AP) - New Army regulations meant to help standardize and
professionalize soldiers' appearance are now coming under criticism by some
black military women, who say changes in the hair requirement are
racially
biased.
The Army earlier this week issued new appearance
standards, which included bans on most twists, dreadlocks and large cornrows,
all styles used predominantly by African-American women with natural
hairstyles. More than 11,000 people have signed a White House petition asking
President Barack Obama, the commander in chief, to have the military review the
regulations to allow for "neat and maintained natural hairstyles."
Some black military women, who make up about a third of
the women in the armed forces, feel they have been singled out with these new
regulations.
"I think that it primarily targets black women,
and I'm not in agreement with it," said Patricia Jackson-Kelley of the
National Association of Black Military Women. "I don't see how a woman
wearing three braids in her hair, how that affects her ability to perform her
duty in the military."
Even before the current controversy, the association
had already planned to showcase the hairstyles of African-American women in the
military throughout the years at its national convention in Phoenix in
September.
While she also feels the new regulations unfairly
target black women, former association president Kathleen Harris said she could
understand why the regulations needed some uniformity. "The military is
supposed to be conservative," she said. "My thing is that some folks
look gorgeous in their twists, and some people go overboard. The twists are not
small twists but they're real large ones and it doesn't fit the cover, your
hat."
The changes and several other Army appearance
modifications were first published Monday in the Army Times.
"The Army is a profession, and one of the ways
our leaders and the American public measure our professionalism is by our
appearance," Army Sgt. Maj. Raymond F. Chandler III said of the updates on
the Army's website.
The changes also banned several male hairstyles,
including Mohawks and long sideburns. Body piercings were also specifically
banned, with an exception made for earrings. Also banned was the use of
wireless earpieces outside a vehicle and tattoos visible below the elbow or
knee or above the neckline. Current soldiers would be permitted to keep any
tattoos not deemed racist, sexist or extremist.
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