CF Hair Regulations - superthread [MERGED]

[Old Sweat]

I'm a red head with freckles and of Irish descent what ethnic/cultural hairstyle should I choose?

Answer at your peril!  >

 

[Loachman]

Merged. Next time, please search before starting another new thread.

I would suggest that the manual and regs be altered in order to promote more ethnic hairstyles while still having a professional appearance while in uniform.

CDS' e-mail address is freely available in the DWAN Outlook Address Book...

 

[armyvern]

I am curious what people think of the current hairstyle regulations and how they appear (to me) to pertain mostly to Caucasian males and females. 

^^^ That bit up there.  Current hairstyle regulations pertain to Caucasian males and females??  Really?  You just said that?  I'm sure there are a shit tonne of guys and gals, of the Caucasian persuasion, on these boards who would dearly love to be sporting the long hair down to their waist, tied back in a pony tail etc etc that you see all over Canadian Society.

A Caucasian ethnic haircut.  That's ripe.

 

[George Wallace]

......  Hairstyles can be an important cultural identifier

Sorry, but that is irrelevant.  There should only be three "cultural identifiers" in the CAF and they have NOTHING to do with hair.

Those three "cultural identifiers" which will identify you are:

1.  GREEN for Army;
2.  Dark Blue for Navy; and
3.  Light Blue for Air Force.

Other than those three, there should be NO discriminating "cultural identifiers".  Even having those three, may be too many -- You are a member of the CAF or you are NOT.

 

[jitterbug]

^^^ That bit up there.  Current hairstyle regulations pertain to Caucasian males and females??  Really?  You just said that?  I'm sure there are a crap tonne of guys and gals, of the Caucasian persuasion, on these boards who would dearly love to be sporting the long hair down to their waist, tied back in a pony tail etc etc that you see all over Canadian Society.

A Caucasian ethnic haircut.  That's ripe.

Basically what I'm saying is that the current regs don't appear to promote ethnic style haircuts.  Why shouldn't dreadlocks be authorized?  They can be done in a conservative manner.  I'm not saying people should have big nappy dreads or anything like that.  Dreadlocks are not a "mandatory" thing for the Rastafarian religion however many that practice wear dreadlocks as it is a culturally based style haircut.  Surely someone could alter the dress manual to include photos of ethnic styles and regs that promote more cultural diversity for haircuts. 

Secondly, braids only appear to be authorized for females and therefore males cannot wear cornrows.  I would also suggest they extend the wearing of earings to males.  Why should just females be allowed to wear earings?

I'm not saying lets open the floodgates for anything and everything but respecting diversity and promoting it should be at the forefront when designing policy in my opinion.  Change is good within reason.

 

[mariomike]

I'm sure there are a shit tonne of guys and gals, of the Caucasian persuasion, on these boards who would dearly love to be sporting the long hair down to their waist, tied back in a pony tail etc etc that you see all over Canadian Society.

I dearly love watching it hit the floor. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sKlvOrBBPc
"Kiss me good-bye and write me while I'm gone..."

 

[George Wallace]

I'm not saying lets open the floodgates for anything and everything but respecting diversity and promoting it should be at the forefront when designing policy in my opinion.  Change is good within reason.

It sure sounds like you want to open the floodgates.  Please go back and read what you posted if you don't believe me.

 

[Eaglelord17]

Our hair regulations already discriminate. They discriminate based on gender, race (natives can have ponytails), and religion. If anything instead of 'cultural' hairstyles, we should be moving towards a universal standard (much like the force test is expected to be). We all do the same job, therefore we all should be held to the same standard.

 

[armyvern]

Our hair regulations already discriminate. They discriminate based on gender, race (natives can have ponytails), and religion. If anything instead of 'cultural' hairstyles, we should be moving towards a universal standard (much like the force test is expected to be). We all do the same job, therefore we all should be held to the same standard.

Correct:  But "Caucasian Hairstyles"??  That's what was said.  I know many native troops etc that do not wear their hair long and/or braided (male and female): apparently some would say they are wearing "Caucasion styles".They are wearing their hair the way they want to.

 

[jitterbug]

It sure sounds like you want to open the floodgates.  Please go back and read what you posted if you don't believe me.

Well maybe things should just stay the way they are and the organization should never evolve in relation promotion of ethnic style haircuts in order to help promote diversity in the forces?  It was that way until someone decided to put their hand up regarding Aboriginal hairstyles.

Part of good leadership is promoting and accepting change.  While tradition is important, its really the dinosaurs of organizations that seem to hinder the evolution of the organization.  I will be submitting a briefing note on this very topic so I'm interested in both pros and cons of promoting these types of hairstyles.  Giving an answer showing that you have examined both sides of the coin gives a person more credence.

 

[armyvern]

I'm not saying lets open the floodgates for anything and everything but respecting diversity and promoting it should be at the forefront when designing policy in my opinion.  Change is good within reason.

Sure you are.

Your "culture" is not someone else's "culture" (and neither are protected grounds).  If your "culture" tends to think you look great in dreadlocks for example, then my "culture" says I'd look great with the same cubed red & green hair that I wore in High School.  Your "culture" is not more important than mine or anyone else's.

Religion etc are protected grounds and we accommodate for that.

 

[armyvern]

Well maybe things should just stay the way they are and the organization should never evolve in relation promotion of ethnic style haircuts in order to help promote diversity in the forces?  It was that way until someone decided to put their hand up regarding Aboriginal hairstyles.

Part of good leadership is promoting and accepting change.  While tradition is important, its really the dinosaurs of organizations that seem to hinder the evolution of the organization.  I will be submitting a briefing note on this very topic so I'm interested in both pros and cons of promoting these types of hairstyles.  Giving an answer showing that you have examined both sides of the coin gives a person more credence.

Diversity of what?

What ethnicity mandates that their pers must wear dreadlocks, topknots etc etc?

Someone wants a topknot, then someone wants purple hair ... all is fair and either they would all have to be acceptable, or none of them.  You don't get to be half pregnant.  And with your Caucasian haircut comment, you've already indicated that you are. 

There is NO such thing as a Caucasian haircut.  There are plenty of other ethnicities, religions etc who wear hair the same as the CAF does as per our diagrams.  Just look around downtown ... those "Caucasian haircuts" ARE NORMAL amongst many creeds, colours and religions.

I just don't think you want your hair that way.

By the way, I am an Irish background red-headed girl with a natural ringlettey afro when I let my hair grow out ... would I be impeding on some others "ethnicity" if I were to let my hair grow naturally?  Think Carrot Top ... girl version.

 

[jitterbug]

Sure you are.

Your "culture" is not someone else's "culture" (and neither are protected grounds).  If your "culture" tends to think you look great in dreadlocks for example, then my "culture" says I'd look great with the same cubed red & green hair that I wore in High School.  Your "culture" is not more important than mine or anyone else's.

Religion etc are protected grounds and we accommodate for that.

Do you think that if the Dress Manual contained photos of cultural type hairstyles that conformed to the regs that it would beneficial to the CF in promoting diversity?

Do you think some minor alterations to the haircut regs (ie. length, shape etc) in order to make them more adaptable for ethnic style haircuts would be beneficial to the CF in promoting diversity?

 

[George Wallace]

Well maybe things should just stay the way they are and the organization should never evolve in relation promotion of ethnic style haircuts in order to help promote diversity in the forces? 

Do you even know the meaning of "UNIFORM" and "UNIFORMITY"?

Part of good leadership is promoting and accepting change.

A good part of LEADERSHIP is not promoting and accepting change; but knowing and understanding wtf they are doing. 

....  While tradition is important, its really the dinosaurs of organizations that seem to hinder the evolution of the organization. 

Ummmm?  Again, I will ask you if you UNDERSTAND something.  Do you understand what the meaning of "Tradition" is?  It is something that is perpetuated; not changed on a whim every day.  It wouldn't be a "Tradition" then, would it?

I will be submitting a briefing note on this very topic so I'm interested in both pros and cons of promoting these types of hairstyles.  Giving an answer showing that you have examined both sides of the coin gives a person more credence.

Is this all that is important to you?  Were you one of those 'idiots' who brought about the "Buttons and Bows" debacle to change all the ranks, just to have a "Promoting Change" check in a box?  Such people have wasted more valuable time than necessary.  Unfortunately they have stolen way too much oxygen that was necessary in other places. 

 

[armyvern]

Do you think that if the Dress Manual contained photos of cultural type hairstyles that conformed to the regs that it would beneficial to the CF in promoting diversity?

Do you think some minor alterations to the haircut regs (ie. length, shape etc) in order to make them more adaptable for ethnic style haircuts would be beneficial to the CF in promoting diversity?

I already told you that cornrows are indeed diagrammed.

You want a little length added to the diagram to promote diversity?  Put a photo of a Strat in the Dress Regs.

It ain't about "containing photos" in the manual; it's about "authorizing" whatever "ethnic" hairstyles you wish to see so that they can be published in the dress manual.

BTW, I think you should actually be writing a Service Paper rather than a Briefing Note ... because you're going to have to justify why every single hairstyle that currently exists and will exist in the future should be included.
because what YOU want for "ethnic" haircuts, this girl wants something different and once they've allowed for your "ethnic" style, then they MUST allow for mine too --- whatever I decide it shall be. 

 

[jitterbug]

The last sentence in the following paragraph really sums up what I have been talking about.  If your hairstyle is part of your "ethnic identity" than you should not have to give that up.  Aboriginals had to do so when they were assimilated into residential schools.

"In 1971, Canada became the first country in the world to adopt an official multiculturalism policy, which was subsequently enshrined in an act of Parliament, thereby recognizing the diversity of Canadians as regards race, national or ethnic origin, colour, and religion as a fundamental characteristic of Canadian society. The policy is designed to preserve and enhance the multicultural heritage of Canadians, while working to achieve the equality of all Canadians in the economic, social, cultural and political life of Canada.3 Multiculturalism therefore can provide organizations with a framework for diversity whereby individuals do not have to give up their cultural or ethnic identity to ‘belong’ and participate in an organization."

This is an excerpt from http://www.journal.forces.gc.ca/vo9/no3/05-scoppio-eng.asp

 

[armyvern]

The last sentence in the following paragraph really sums up what I have been talking about.  If your hairstyle is part of your "ethnic identity" than you should not have to give that up.  Aboriginals had to do so when they were assimilated into residential schools.

"In 1971, Canada became the first country in the world to adopt an official multiculturalism policy, which was subsequently enshrined in an act of Parliament, thereby recognizing the diversity of Canadians as regards race, national or ethnic origin, colour, and religion as a fundamental characteristic of Canadian society. The policy is designed to preserve and enhance the multicultural heritage of Canadians, while working to achieve the equality of all Canadians in the economic, social, cultural and political life of Canada.3 Multiculturalism therefore can provide organizations with a framework for diversity whereby individuals do not have to give up their cultural or ethnic identity to ‘belong’ and participate in an organization."

This is an excerpt from http://www.journal.forces.gc.ca/vo9/no3/05-scoppio-eng.asp

And, the CAF allows for our aboriginal Canadians to wear their hair as such.  Caucasian male soldiers need not apply (unless on religious Grounds).  Guess what?  Many aboriginal male soldiers do not choose to wear their hair as such either.

Which ethnicity is it that requires dreadlocks?  You still have yet to anser that.  None do.  Just as none require afros. Just as none require me to have 2 large braids on the side of my head.

Just as NO "Caucasian ethnicity" requires Caucasian men or women to wear their hair as per the CAF Dress Regs.  The CAF requires CAF members to wear their hair as per Dress Regs - with exceptions made for Religious Reasons (a Protected freedom) and CANADIAN aboriginal peoples.  Seems pretty simple to me.  I know Jamaican immigrants who have shorter hair than I do for crying out loud. 

 

[Loachman]

Part of good leadership is promoting and accepting change.

Bullshit bullshit bullshit.

"Change" in and of itself has no value.

I will happily promote or accept change that confers real benefit.

Dicking around with trivial matters purely to delight special snowflakes does not achieve such benefit, and we have had far, far too much of that crap in the last year or so with rank, cap badge, rank designation, and related change that nobody except a few egotistic idiots wanted. This nonsense confuses and pisses people off, and wastes time and effort and money that should go towards more important things.

I have no use whatsoever for such people.

I might, if they were combustible.

Good leaders do everything in their power to resist nonsense.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Well maybe things should just stay the way they are and the organization should never evolve in relation promotion of ethnic style haircuts in order to help promote diversity in the forces? 

I agree.

 

[armyvern]

I might, if they were combustible.

Perhaps your "Caucasian" hairstyle is combustible?  : Want a wee bit of mousse with that?