Finally! The US Navy Lifts It's Ban On Women Wearing Locs

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Siraad Dirshe Jul, 17, 2018

The U.S. Navy has finally stepped into 2018 and lifted its ban on female sailors wearing locs. Following in the footsteps of the Army and Airforce the naval branch announced last week that via a Facebook Live this step to true inclusivity.

CNO & CNP Facebook Live All-Hands Call
RECORDED EARLIER: Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson and Chief of Naval Personnel Adm. Robert Burke will host another Facebook Live All-Hands Call and are looking forward to taking your questions about uniforms, PCS moves and any other personnel matter that's on your mind. Let them know how they can continue to make you a more efficient and a more lethal warfighter. Please Join them Tuesday, July 10th at 1700 EDT and you can start posting your questions in the comments below. They will address as many as they can in 30 minutes.
Posted by U.S. Navy on Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Using feedback from its peers, the Navy enlisted the help of a six-person team to help make updates to it’s existing grooming regulations. In addition to locs ponytails, buns and other styles will now be permissible by women in uniform, so long as it doesn’t interfere with their safety or operational needs.

As one can imagine men and women of color will be greatly impacted by these new rules. Locs are also a popular protective style for Black women with a long history and culture and until last week many women were forced to choose between their hairstyle and service. Black women still feel an enormous amount of pressure to conform in corporate settings when it comes to their hair, and we hope this starts to alleviate some small portion of that.