OTTAWA — The Canadian Armed Forces will soon adopt a gender-neutral dress code for service members as military commanders push for more diversity in the ranks.

Men and women in uniform are currently subject to separate dress codes that include the types of clothing they can wear as well as hair styles and other aspects of their appearance.

Maj.-Gen. Lise Bourgon, the acting chief of military personnel, says the new gender-neutral standard will give members more choices while ensuring they are still dressed safely and appropriately for their duties.

The change is part of the military’s effort to be more inclusive by recruiting and accommodating women, visible minorities and other groups that are under-represented in the military.

Bourgon says 71 per cent of Canadian Armed Forces members are white males, while they account for 39 per cent of the rest of Canada’s workforce.

She spoke about the new dress code during a briefing today, in which senior officers updated Canadians on their ongoing efforts to change the Armed Forces’ culture.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 23, 2022.

The Canadian Press