Them’s fightin’ styles —but stereotypes

It is not often that the armed forces get down to discussing and formulating style guides but the US has taken the plunge. And thence comes the revelation that certain colours of makeup are considered unsuitable to be worn by female soldiers even under the new revised rules that will allow them a greater degree of personal embellishments from February 2021. A week after the US Air Force announced similar new rules, the US Army has declared female soldiers will be allowed ponytails or braids instead of only tight buns, stud earrings and even coloured hair, lips and nails.

But the brass has predictably gone beyond generalities to forbid shades considered ‘extreme, which includes pink and green for tresses, and black, blue, violet, ‘fire-engine red’ and fluorescent for the other two. Presuming that these detailed parameters have been arrived at with military thoroughness, the thought does arise whether the shock value of ‘extreme’ hues in combat situations were ever considered. So, female soldiers will now have more avenues to express their individuality than their male counterparts — including the newly-allowed option to shave their heads like men too. In the interest of fostering gender parity, should male soldiers also not be allowed greater leeway too, with the same options as their female colleagues?