In another crushing blow to the patriarchy, female sailors have finally received the green light to free their feet from the man-made shackles that are high heels and don flats with their service and dress uniforms.
The Navy is designing the first U.S. submarines built specifically to accommodate female crewmembers — and the new boats will take into account the varying body types, heights, and builds of its sailors. After decades of storied silent, deep operations, engineers evidently unfurled a measuring tape in a sub and realized things get a bit awkward if you’re not quite 5-foot-9.
On July 2, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced a sweeping change to the maternity leave policy for female sailors and Marines, extending paid maternity leave from six to 18 weeks during the first year following a child’s birth. The change is significant in that it shows dedication to retaining women in the force, and just as important, to recruiting women in the first place.
