RAF Women 'Banned From Wearing Skirts On Parade'

Women in the RAF could no longer be allowed to wear skirts on parade.

Reports of the ban were met with an angry reaction in the Sun.

According to sources featured in the newspaper, the move to a trousers-only policy is partly due to an increase in transgender personnel.

The RAF wouldn't confirm this to Forces News, although the MoD did say it aims to be an "inclusive" employer. 

One source was quoted as saying:

"The RAF is a modern and inclusive employer. We have men who want to live as women, women who want to live as men and personnel who do not identify with any gender. The view was we need a uniform policy to cut through all of that and say there is one uniform for everyone and that's that. It's about including people and encouraging diversity."

An unnamed servicewoman, however, was quoted as saying:

"We've all been told woman can no longer wear skirts on parade.

"Everyone's livid. We've been wearing skirts since World War II. It feels like political correctness. The world's going mad."

Former Commander of British forces in Afghanistan Colonel Richard Kemp said:

"There are obviously too many people in the RAF with too little to do if they have time to agonise over whether or not women should wear skirts in ceremonial uniform."

Tory MP Philip Davies, meanwhile, said:

"It's a ludicrous decision. I'd imagine it was made by a middle-class Guardian-reading male with too much time on his hands and a misguided guilt complex."

The plans would mean women having to wear trousers on military parades at barracks and during public displays and events, although they may continue to be allowed to wear skirts for official engagements when not marching.

The RAF, however, told Forces News the ban is 'not set in stone'. A spokesperson added that it is currently still being discussed and no official decision has been made yet.

They added that the ongoing discussion is over a number of issues including equality, scars, tattoos and transgender and medical reasons, and that skirts can technically still be worn if that's the on-the-day decision.

An MoD spokeswoman told Forces News no decisions have been taken on whether to make the ruling permanent or to extend it in any way.

The RAF was the first service to allow women to wear trousers on parade back in 2001, as it launched a new uniform designed to encourage equality between the sexes.

It boasts about 33,000 full-time personnel, around 14% of whom are women - a higher percentage than in the Royal Navy or Army.

It is not known exactly how many identify as transgender but it is thought to be in the low tens.