Male Afro Caribbean cadet with braids a couple of inches longer than collar length. Not rastafarian. Hair cut or tied up like female rules?
AP1358C states that Male hair should be well cut and trimmed so as to be neat.
If the cadet is Rastafarian - the following is also in AP1358C - so discretion can be applied…
Rastafarians
0179. Hair. Male Rastafarian hair is to follow the same general rules for other ACO personnel in that it is to be neat and tidy and not of an exaggerated nature. Dreadlocks are not to reach the jacket collar and must allow all types of military headdress to be worn in the correct manner without compromising their purpose. Female Rastafarian hair is to follow the same rules for other female personnel.
They clearly stated that the cadet is not rastafarian!
id say tie it up or have a trim…
I clearly didn’t read it fully 
Also female rules don’t state tied up - they state clear of the bottom edge of the collar - not clear from your initial post of hair is longer than top edge or bottom edge of collar?
Isn’t having different rules for males and females discrimination and hence against our own rules and also ilegal?
2 Likes
There is no scope in the current regulations for a male cadet to apply female hairdressing rules!
There is probably scope for a lawsuit if we force the issue though…
1 Like
There is in the Equality Act 2010 however.
Rules of the club etc.
Not any different from every other male cadet with long-ish hair, regardless of ethical justification.
Chapter and verse please. We make appropriate accommodation for persons who have a legitimate and honest reason to vary from the generic dress regs. I doubt that “I like this hairstyle” is a protected characteristic.
Exactly. Why do female cadets get away with long hair?
Gender is a protected characteristic. We have different rules for males & females without justification.
So HQAC and the MOD are in material breach of the equalities act and have been for years.
The Armed Forces can be made exempt, I don’t see how the Cadet Forces can be considered an armed force. For comparison, the ATC had to make changes around the handling of mandatory retirement ages for uniformed staff to comply with age discrimination legislation (around 2006 if memory serves?) The Armed Forces are exempt - here’s an FOI explaining the basis for exemptions for the Armed Forces https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/501241/20160208-FOI_00338_Response.pdf.
To answer your question directly; yes I think HQAC/RAFACACACAC are in breach and have been for some time. “Rules of the club” don’t cut it.
1 Like
How offensive. Gender is fluid, don’t you know?
What if I am vapogender?
1 Like
Further,
In this Act—
“armed forces” means any of the naval, military or air forces of the Crown;
Armed forces
4 (1) Section 29(6), so far as relating to relevant discrimination, does not apply to anything done for the purpose of ensuring the combat effectiveness of the armed forces.
(2) “Relevant discrimination” is—
(a) age discrimination;
(b) disability discrimination;
© gender reassignment discrimination;
(d) sex discrimination.
I normally consider you as genderless.
1 Like
When it comes to hair, look at some photos if they exist of your squadron in the 1970s and 80s and I imagine the 60s.
Hair length went with the times and people moaned about it, but it didn’t make much difference.
Absolutely and even less now, as I tell my WSO when I see him, when he gets on his horse.
But many on here love “club rules” as a raison d’etre.
It would be interesting to see a court action taken against the Corps over some of these things, just to see how they react. It only takes one militant or hard done by parent, so outside the bubble and some of the ivory towers could be at risk.
2 Likes
I’m glad I have promoted discussion. I have heard both answers. Surely there is a definite answer?
I’m worried that if we go with tie it up, when he goes to a Wing event he will get chewed a new one, and not understand why, after all, he was told at the Sqn to tie it up.
To say haircut or leave without a written down rule upheld by the chain of command (above Sqn level) is not something we want to do.