The UK’s air force is to demand that both men and women wear trousers on parade in order to make it more inclusive for transgender personnel.
The new rule is being introduced to make the Royal Air Force “more inclusive”, according to reports.
One insider familiar with the decision told the Sun: “The RAF is a modern and inclusive employer. We have men who want to live as women, women who want to live as men and personnel who do not identify with any gender. The view was we need a uniform policy to cut through all of that and say there is one uniform for everyone and that’s that. It’s about including people and encouraging diversity.”
However, some of the RAF’s servicewomen are said to be upset about the move. One said: “We’ve all been told women can no longer wear skirts on parade. Everyone’s livid. We’ve been wearing skirts since World War II. It feels like political correctness. The world’s going mad.”
The change was apparently agreed at a summit of RAF chiefs who deal with issues such as diversity, inclusion and uniform policy. Under the plans, women would have to wear trousers on military parades on barracks and during public displays and events.
The RAF was formed in 1918. It has about 33,000 personnel, 14 per cent of whom are women. It is estimated that the number of people in the RAF who identify as transgender is “in the low tens”.
An RAF spokesman said: “Uniform regulations, including dress for formal parades, are regularly reviewed. No decisions have been made to make any changes.”