Army rules for ponytails and nail color

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moonshadow
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Army rules for ponytails and nail color

Post by moonshadow »

https://wcyb.com/news/nation-world/let- ... nail-color

Hmmmm.... tough nut to crack here.

On the one hand, I get irked when women have more flexibility with regards to expression than men, but on the other hand, war isn't your typical nine to five private sector job.

I can understand the powers that be not wanting a bunch of "sissies" marching into combat, but on the other hand, it would seem a reasonable comprise would be to allow men to at least have a properly groomed beard.

The article cites on behalf of women:

At the same time, he said that changes, like allowing women in combat uniforms to wear earrings such as small gold, silver and diamond studs, let them "feel like a woman inside and outside of uniform."

Well, while I'll grant most men likely have no desire to wear skirts, many do have a desire to grow a beard, and like women, these beards allow these men to feel "more like a man inside".

Basically, as I read this, a female can be a woman, but a male still just has to be a male. He can't even be a "man".

I also wonder how this squares with transgender people in the military.

And once again, religion gets a pass.

Men were allowed beards in many wars throughout history... what gives here??

All this in the name of "diversity"..

Typical left wing "diversity"... everyone else... gets to be free... except for the [protestant] men in the room. :roll:
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Re: Army rules for ponytails and nail color

Post by crfriend »

moonshadow wrote: Wed Jan 27, 2021 12:49 amWell, while I'll grant most men likely have no desire to wear skirts, many do have a desire to grow a beard, and like women, these beards allow these men to feel "more like a man inside".
Practicality reigns here. Beards aren't compatible with gas-masks; earrings are. It's the same reason that kilts went right out during the first part of the World War of the 1900s -- they leave a lot of skin exposed, and quite a few chemical agents are quite adept at attacking bare skin.

Sure, most men had beards as soldiers as (1) shaving hadn't caught on and (2) it's kind of tough to find time and facilities to properly shave if you're at the front -- but that was in a time when things like gas and biological agents weren't in play.

Note that many modern firefighters sport moustaches -- none sport beards; beards interfere with respirators.
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Re: Army rules for ponytails and nail color

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crfriend wrote: Wed Jan 27, 2021 12:58 am
moonshadow wrote: Wed Jan 27, 2021 12:49 amWell, while I'll grant most men likely have no desire to wear skirts, many do have a desire to grow a beard, and like women, these beards allow these men to feel "more like a man inside".
Practicality reigns here. Beards aren't compatible with gas-masks; earrings are. It's the same reason that kilts went right out during the first part of the World War of the 1900s -- they leave a lot of skin exposed, and quite a few chemical agents are quite adept at attacking bare skin.

Sure, most men had beards as soldiers as (1) shaving hadn't caught on and (2) it's kind of tough to find time and facilities to properly shave if you're at the front -- but that was in a time when things like gas and biological agents weren't in play.

Note that many modern firefighters sport moustaches -- none sport beards; beards interfere with respirators.
Yeah, that makes sense. This is one of those matters where I admit to being a bit conflicted. Military matters are complex. Of course, note the relaxing of hair guidelines for women. Seems hair is hair to me, though it's my understanding women aren't allowed to serve on the "front line". Though I may be mistaken.

I wonder if then a mustache could be considered a fair compromise?
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Re: Army rules for ponytails and nail color

Post by denimini »

I understand that bright red nail polish doesn't blend with camo - unless it is a really bloody battle.
crfriend wrote: Wed Jan 27, 2021 12:58 am Note that many modern firefighters sport moustaches -- none sport beards; beards interfere with respirators.
Some beards could be considered a fire hazard in themselves :)
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Re: Army rules for ponytails and nail color

Post by PatJ »

The US Army relaxed the regulations on hair back in the early 70's.

"As long as your hair fits under your hat, it will be allowed!"

This regulation was geared more for those of African decent because
the "Afro" was very popular back then, and there were many black
soldiers who were affected by this rule.

We had one guy in the outfit that decided to let his Afro get rather
large (long). To get around the regulation, we went to one of the
local Taylor shops (we were in Thailand) had had a hat made that was
large enough to fit his hair.

My had size was 7 1/4, but this one must have been about a size 14.

It got a lot of laughs, but the company commander shot his plan down
and made him use a "regulation" hat and get a hair cut.
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Re: Army rules for ponytails and nail color

Post by foothill »

I was a combat infantryman in Vietnam and we were required to shave every day and have regular haircuts-even though we were in the jungle. The rationale was that the enemy troops would think that we were “fresh” troops and not a bunch of rag-tag soldiers and thus they would be reluctant to start a fight with us. That didn’t always work but we obeyed orders nonetheless.
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Re: Army rules for ponytails and nail color

Post by Dust »

crfriend wrote: Wed Jan 27, 2021 12:58 am
moonshadow wrote: Wed Jan 27, 2021 12:49 amWell, while I'll grant most men likely have no desire to wear skirts, many do have a desire to grow a beard, and like women, these beards allow these men to feel "more like a man inside".
Practicality reigns here. Beards aren't compatible with gas-masks; earrings are. It's the same reason that kilts went right out during the first part of the World War of the 1900s -- they leave a lot of skin exposed, and quite a few chemical agents are quite adept at attacking bare skin.

Sure, most men had beards as soldiers as (1) shaving hadn't caught on and (2) it's kind of tough to find time and facilities to properly shave if you're at the front -- but that was in a time when things like gas and biological agents weren't in play.

Note that many modern firefighters sport moustaches -- none sport beards; beards interfere with respirators.
A neatly trimmed goatee can work fine with most respirators as well. You just need smooth skin where the edges seal to the face.
moonshadow wrote: Wed Jan 27, 2021 1:10 am Yeah, that makes sense. This is one of those matters where I admit to being a bit conflicted. Military matters are complex. Of course, note the relaxing of hair guidelines for women. Seems hair is hair to me, though it's my understanding women aren't allowed to serve on the "front line". Though I may be mistaken.
Women are allowed on the front line now, all positions in the military are open to them. Many positions they still cannot be forced into, although they can volunteer to take them.*

Long hair was disallowed by modern militaries for men because it is a liability (and allows personal expression - the military doesn't want that, either). It can be pulled in a fight, be caught in machinery, catch fire, or get soaked in chemical weapons.

Militaries as recently as the US Revolutionary War would prescribe hair on men to be pulled back in a pony tail at the base of the neck and cut "short" just below the ribbon that held it in place there.
moonshadow wrote: Wed Jan 27, 2021 1:10 am I wonder if then a mustache could be considered a fair compromise?
Actually, this is already allowed in some cases, but it must be closely trimmed to regulations that make most guys look terrible with it. I've heard the regulation mustache referred to as a "creeper 'stache" by military members more than once...

For special forces interacting with locals in certain parts of the world, a full beard is even permitted, but this is far more limited.


*My hope would be that standards get adjusted, not just on appearance, but on physical fitness and more, to be based on the job someone is assigned instead of sex. If a female can do the job and meet the same physical (and psychological, etc.) standards as the men, great! She should be able to have the job, and get treated just like the boys. On the other hand, if a man is in a desk job, there is no reason he needs to be able to run as fast or long as the guys out front, or any faster than the woman at the desk next to him.

Also, the fact that women were disqualified from front line combat was the main reason that the courts upheld the male-only draft. Now that that has changed, this is the subject of a lawsuit right now, being appealed to the Supreme Court. Hopefully SCOTUS will take the case and rule out the male-only draft as unconstitutional. I'm sort of hoping for female draft registration, but getting rid of the draft entirely would be okay, too.
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Re: Army rules for ponytails and nail color

Post by moonshadow »

Dust wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 10:25 pm Now that that has changed, this is the subject of a lawsuit right now, being appealed to the Supreme Court. Hopefully SCOTUS will take the case and rule out the male-only draft as unconstitutional. I'm sort of hoping for female draft registration, but getting rid of the draft entirely would be okay, too.
I agree that jobs requirements (military or civilian) should be based on the candidates ability in the specific job requirements rather than sex or gender. I do think we are arriving at that place in the civilian sector... as for the military... well I can't speak to that as I'm not in the service.

We do not have a draft however, and haven't had one since the 1970s. We we do have is a requirement for men to register with selective service, but that's not a draft, it's just a database.

That being said, I see no harm with requiring women to register, they can always debate a female draft should the need arise, but it harms nobody to at least have females in the selective service system.
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Re: Army rules for ponytails and nail color

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moonshadow wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 11:38 pmWe do not have a draft however, and haven't had one since the 1970s. We we do have is a requirement for men to register with selective service, but that's not a draft, it's just a database.
It's a bit more pernicious than "just a database" -- the thing is locked and loaded for a future renegade president to fully activate it and start conscripting men into military service for what would likely in the future be for private profit or another colonial/opium war like Viet Nam.

We have president Carter to thank for that, and that re-enabling legislation scared the living cr@p out of me as a 19-year-old in 1980 when Reagan ascended the throne. I still get chills when I recall the scene in Waltham, MA where I was working at the time on 1980-11-04 watching the election returns come in. We had a pretty hard-nosed crowd, I was an arrogant little prick at the time (and remained so until I was well established), but it was abundantly obvious that in an 80-degree conference room (we heated the building using the computers, so it didn't cost any extra and since the computer rooms were cold we liked the rest of the place warm) I was shivering and in a cold sweat. One of the guys actually broke character and asked whether I was OK and what was wrong. Nobody really understood the peril I was in at my age because everybody thought I was older (I was very, very unusual as a youngster) up until that conversation.
That being said, I see no harm with requiring women to register, they can always debate a female draft should the need arise, but it harms nobody to at least have females in the selective service system.
What's good for the gander, in this case, is good for the goose. If we're going to conscript, let's send daughters as well as sons into the fray. Maybe that'll make mothers consider the way they vote.
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Re: Army rules for ponytails and nail color

Post by moonshadow »

I share in your sentiments Carl, but the simple fact of the matter is, both genetically, and culturally, female blood is with more than men's. This is a custom that goes back eons.

I don't like it, I don't agree with it, but it is what it is, and we can't change thousands of years of social customs.

Females will never be required to serve, because there are just too many people who believe a female shouldn't be required to die for a country.

Simple economics, men are the most worthless of any species. We are expendable. And that's why governments treat us as disposable, because we are.

I think I matter, I think you matter, I think all men matter (and women too, but I digress). But what I think doesn't change the fact of the matter.

Not a day goes by I don't wish I were a female, so that society would value me as much as I value myself, but I always say... "wish in one hand, sh!t in the other, and see which gets filled up faster..." But it's okay... my soul has value, even if nobody else sees it. I gaze upon the stars and I know the truth... that nobody (men or women) really matter... and we're all just part of a piss-ass worthless species that doesn't contribute anything to the cosmos... I know the truth... that I actually matter about as much as anyone else... and that thought brings me solace.

I will never lay my life on the line for any nation or society... it's just not worth it. I'd rather commit suicide than die for a world that doesn't give two sh!ts about me.

Why on God's green Earth, so many females want to transition to men is far beyond me... I think those trans-men need to have their head examined...
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Re: Army rules for ponytails and nail color

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Remember Carl...

"You are a fluke of the universe...

... give up". :wink:

We all will die someday, live a life worth living. Pay no heed to these fools, smile and enjoy yourself while you can.
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Re: Army rules for ponytails and nail color

Post by moonshadow »

On the other hand, maybe it's better that I was born a male.. because if I were born a female, I'd delude myself into believing that I actually mattered... that I was some kind of "goddess".

No... I'd rather digest a bitter truth that fatten my ego on a sweet lie.

And now ladies and gentleman....

https://youtu.be/lmT2KvF4P5g
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Re: Army rules for ponytails and nail color

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moonshadow wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 2:00 am"You are a fluke of the universe...

... give up". :wink:
Oh, my! I am so glad that this has not been lost or otherwise been buried in the sands of time.
We all will die someday, live a life worth living. Pay no heed to these fools, smile and enjoy yourself while you can.
That's wisdom you can take to the bank.

The problem is that all too often the "fools" (or tools) have guns.
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Re: Army rules for ponytails and nail color

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by moonshadow » Tue Feb 23, 2021 5:38 pm

... I'm sort of hoping for female draft registration, but getting rid of the draft entirely would be okay, too.
I agree that jobs requirements (military or civilian) should be based on the candidates ability in the specific job requirements rather than sex or gender. I do think we are arriving at that place in the civilian sector... as for the military... well I can't speak to that as I'm not in the service.

We do not have a draft however, and haven't had one since the 1970s. We we do have is a requirement for men to register with selective service, but that's not a draft, it's just a database.

That being said, I see no harm with requiring women to register, they can always debate a female draft should the need arise, but it harms nobody to at least have females in the selective service system.
Though not a 'draft' only a 'registration system' it comes with claws -- not the least of which is if your conscience does not support endless war, don't apply for Federal Student Aid -- failure to register is a crime, and no student loans.

I once thought having women in the draft might soften our war mongering and add some logic and compassion to our decisions -- but alas there are too many Margaret Thatcher's, & Lauren Boebert's in this world. Better -- let's make the draft for those 35-50 years of age, all genders and start with politicians as the first to serve on the front lines -- I bet the decisions about sacrificial fodder would change rapidly!
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Re: Army rules for ponytails and nail color

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Faldaguy wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 3:23 am Better -- let's make the draft for those 35-50 years of age, all genders and start with politicians as the first to serve on the front lines -- I bet the decisions about sacrificial fodder would change rapidly!
Ha! True that!
Faldaguy wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 3:23 am Though not a 'draft' only a 'registration system' it comes with claws -- not the least of which is if your conscience does not support endless war, don't apply for Federal Student Aid -- failure to register is a crime, and no student loans.
Baaahhhh.... if a kid doesn't want to serve when called... just dodge it and blame on on bone spurs...

Who knows... in 50 years, he may just become a living God to the people! :wink:
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