Us Navy Women's Uniforms - Annapolis, Maryland, is a Navy town through and through. Home of the United States Naval Academy, the iconography of Annapolis would be incomplete without the presence of midshipmen walking down Main Street in their summer white or service dress blue uniforms. Men's midshipmen often stop on the street to mingle with tourists looking for that classic navy look. Among female cruisers, not so much.
The Naval Academy differs from other naval commands in that its members wear uniforms, specifically service uniforms. For example, plebes must always wear an issued uniform for the entire year. Plebes and sophomores must wear their dress uniform outside of town. There are even parts of the yard (campus) where no one can walk unless in uniform.
Us Navy Women's Uniforms
Frequent wearing of uniforms in the academy is more common for women than for men. Midshipmen women are mistreated in the yard and in town because their uniforms are not designed for a female character. It is beyond my fingers when I am called "sir" in the town outside, or "one of the gentlemen" when I walk with a group of men amidships.
Uniform: Summer Khaki \
More offensively, male midshipmen, female midshipmen, especially those in positions of power, are mocked based on their appearance in uniform. Either they look more like men or they are pregnant. Women can't win. Midshipmen spend a lot of time in uniform, why are women midshipmen still waiting for something more attractive? Women at the Naval Academy, especially those in visible leadership positions, are in dire need of functional and feminine uniforms.
The first female midshipmen entered the Naval Academy in 1976 as members of the Class of 1980. In the photos, these midshipmen wear men's uniforms that are clearly not designed for their bodies. Forty years later, men and women wrestlers don't look so different. Working Blues, the daily work uniform for middle aged men, consists of a white and navy style summer suit. This uniform is very uncomfortable for middle-aged men. A men's style pant for women consisted of two small pockets in the front, a pleated back without pockets, and a large fly that rode up behind the wearer's natural waist, creating an awkward bulge when standing or sitting. Alternately, the "women's" pants had a side zipper that was much more feminine, but only had two small front pockets for a large ID card. Why does the Naval Academy feel the need to sacrifice performance for femininity in uniform? White summer dresses, blue dresses and khaki dresses have the same problem for women. If the Navy is going to make "masculine" style uniforms for women, at least the clothes should be functional.
In 2015, then-Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus ordered reforms to make the uniforms more gender neutral. These included the new cracker uniform and white officer's dress and the retirement of the favorite bucket cover. These were changes that many Navy women did not want. According to a 2017 Mission and Purpose article, Mabus rejected female sailors' ideas for uniform changes, particularly those that would implement more suitable alternatives to previous uniforms. While enlisted female sailors were given allowances to cover these uniform changes, female officers were forced to pay out of pocket. Mabus has used the Women's Naval Academy ships to test many of her uniform ideas since 2013. Since then, this neutral uniform has been issued for most male umpires.
However, in the fleet, Mabus faced strong opposition from sailors, officers, and congresswomen to implement these changes. In 2017, Congress delayed a deadline for Navy members to purchase these uniforms, allowing women to keep some aspects of their favorite uniforms. However, many have questioned how some of these changes were implemented so quickly, while others, such as the cry for better pants, were ignored. Overall, Secretary Mabus' goal of a gender-neutral Navy uniform was not achieved, but the effort left women with an even more hateful uniform article.
Sweeping Uniform Changes Emphasize Gender Neutrality
In July 1955, WAVE recruits form up during close quarters training at Bainbridge Naval Training Center in Maryland. Naval Institute photo archive
When the first women were drafted into the Navy under the Women's Voluntary Armed Services (WAVES) program, more care was taken in the design of women's clothing. Under the guidance of the WAVES' first director, then-Commander Mildred McAfee Horton, president of the all-female Wellesley College, the uniform was designed by renowned American fashion designer Meinbocher. These stylish, fashionable and classy uniforms made their way into the women's fashion scene, which is far from today's women's clothing. The title of an article
From August 1942, "Wave Uniforms: Women's, Labor". Most female Navy personnel in uniform today do not want this. We want a uniform that is functional and professional, not just feminine. The Navy has to find a middle ground between the unsexy semi-utilitarian uniforms and the fancy dress uniforms.
I'll be the first to admit that having an ill-fitting uniform was one of the last things on my mind during the festive year. Between school, sports, military obligations, and pleasing my classmates, I had many pressing issues. Despite being in great shape after a summer in plebe, the clothes look boring and incomplete to me. I thought it was just part of the process. I don't have to look like the best version of me to be a good middle-aged person. I now realize that young women in the Navy should not have the mindset that they are being trained to be leaders. Having a flattering uniform is about confidence. I want to be the most presentable version of myself when training plebes or leading a section in the fleet.
Navy Uniforms: Women's Service Dress White, Chief Petty Officer. 1984 Uniform Regulations, Page 6 16
. During my research, I found many articles on this topic, the latest of which was in 2018. However, no action was taken. The real problem is the way professionalism is defined in C services. Professional uniforms are idealized as "gender neutral" men. We've all heard that looks are important, whether it's trying to impress a superior or working with subordinates, but that's only for masculinity. Imagine if men were forced to wear skirts, shorts, and heels to achieve a certain level of professionalism required by their job. This is what the current uniform regulations require for women. The move towards gender neutral uniforms is discrimination against women. Forcing women to wear men's clothing is not a gender-neutral option. The Navy needs to recognize the differences between male and female figures and reflect that in their uniforms - especially dress uniforms.
The Naval Academy has made strides in the past few years to create a more inclusive environment for women. My Favorite Summer was the first time the Academy allowed more diverse hairstyles for women of color. The Academy has also created a Uniform Board to deal with some of the above issues. However, this board is not for uniform design, but rather for plebe summer to determine which uniform items are no longer needed and which uniform inconsistencies exist in midshipman regulations. I have not seen any change in the two years since the formation of the board of directors. The academy owes its middle class women a uniform.
Much of this uniform chaos could have been avoided if senior leaders had agreed to the requests of female sailors and officers instead of moving toward neutral uniforms. By offering a variety of pants designed for different body types, women can find a pair that suits them best. This has been the solution in civilian clothing stores offering "curvy" jeans to recognize the differences in women's bodies and allow the wearer to feel confident in their appearance.
The real solution to this problem is choice, choosing what makes women and men feel most confident.Just as female civilians have several options for professional dress, there are several styles that the Navy can follow. slow This is true regardless of gender. Women in the civilian business sector can dress in a practical, feminine, and professional manner that does not undermine their professional authority or dignity. With the armed forces becoming increasingly diverse, it is time for senior leaders to recognize that wearing a uniform is not synonymous with being in uniform.
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Midshipman Smith is from Kalispell, Montana, 2024 USA. History major in the Naval Academy class. He hopes to be commissioned as a Marine Corps pilot.
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