Earrings, braided hair, or ponytail: the US military has revised its standards for physical appearance to better reflect the feminization and ethnic diversity within its ranks.
At the end of an investigation requested in July by the former Minister of Defense Mark Esper in the midst of a debate on racial discrimination within the American forces, the Army announced during a public conference that it had decided to allow female hairstyles suitable for all types of hair.
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For a military woman with long hair, the hitherto mandatory smooth bun now gives way to a ponytail if she has straight hair or, if her hair is curly or frizzy, to braids that can be pulled back to the side. or the top of the head.
These hairstyles are allowed on condition that they do not interfere with the wearing of the uniform or the helmet in operations, indicate documents made public during this conference.
Women who want to wear their hair short, or even shave their heads completely, are now allowed to do so.
Earrings are authorized but they must remain discreet.
They remain prohibited in intervention theaters.
Lipstick is also permitted, but in neutral shades, as is nail polish which is now permitted for men working in environments where their hands are in frequent contact with harsh chemicals.
"Extreme" color varnish (blue, black, purple or fluorescent) remains prohibited.
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Since the death of George Floyd at the end of May, a black man who was killed during his arrest by a white policeman, the United States military, which is one of the institutions where minorities are most represented in the United States, has opened a big internal debate on racism.
It banned the Confederate flag on all US military bases, where this banner, often seen as a symbol of racism, is frequently displayed in barracks or common rooms.
The Pentagon had also spoken out in favor of changing the name of military bases honoring Confederate generals, an idea which former US President Donald Trump opposed.
