Shaved heads in basic training; is this mandatory? If it is, then why and why only for males?

The same as is quite different from just cut to 1/2 inch The SAME MEANS JUST ALIKE WITH NO DIFFERENCE.

Not all females take care of their hair. Infact your entire post is downright sexist.

Good point. If males shouldn't be focusing on Female's hair, what does their hair length matter?

I honestly have no idea what these last 2 comments are about.  What in the world are you two talking about?

Part of the right of passage is to equalize everyone. The same status, clothing, and challenges.

Honestly if having your head shaved would have been a deal breaker on enlisting, maybe you have chosen the wrong career firld. Serving in the armed forces is aboutmore than yourself, if you can set aside your hair during bct/bmt and put service before self, you should probably reevaluate.

SMSgt Lawrence McCarter, SPC Kristen Townsend, SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth, SFC(P) Josh Morgan, maybe that was true in the days of iron men and wooden ships or when airplanes were made of wood and fabric. These days are filled with identity politics "toxic masculinity" and "toxic feminism" the hair thing is just another "privilege divider" just make it the same for everybody. Why is it bad for women to have their haircut? Don't you think men would like to have their hair styled too, especially these days? It is a double standard, but it is also an opportunity to bring some cohesiveness to the whole process a shared "equal" experience, not a "when I went to boot camp men had their heads shaved and women had their hair styled". You know because women are privileged and need to be carried and protected through boot camp because without special treatment they wouldn't do it, is that really the sentiment we are communicating with this double standard?

PO1 Jeffrey Pennala - I'm not suggesting they be given lighter training but expecting a woman's head to be shaved isn't and never has been reasonable. Shaved heads is even an acceptable style for men but not for women unless there was a natural problem with baldness. I don't see that as being privileged but as an unreasonable and unjustified expectation. There is nothing toxic about men being men and women being woman and keeping their sexual identity and in all case expected to be held to the same training standards to do the same job. Anything more ( which already takes into account hair regulations including style and length for women in uniform) goes way beyond any double standard.

SMSgt Lawrence McCarter the demand has been made and heard from all the brass hats and congress critters that women will fulfill roles traditionally held by men. Equal is equal, the same standard should apply to all. I would have loved to have my haircut to the "legal standard allowed" by the regs at the time, but it was shaved, not just made uniform legal. That is a double standard, to imply that men don't care how their hair looks is outside of the realm of reality, but women should be able to choose. Why? Because what? They are women is the only reason hence a double standard, so you recognize there are differences!! How to reconcile that men and women are equal doctrine that prevails today, either they are equal in respects in the MOS's/NEC's they fill or are women just more equal than men when filling traditional male billets? Just saying, I think it is a shame we to pretend that there are no differences between the sexes so we can be politically correct. I am all in favor of riding that policy over the cliff it will eventually fall off so we can finally rid ourselves of the make believe SJW mindset out of the society. It is ruining the military, colleges and universities, workplaces, and in all aspects of American life these days. You can't even watch a movie without seeing a 90lb woman beating the crap out of a 250lb professional bodyguard. They ruined Ghostbusters, Star Wars, and hundreds of other movie franchises and TV shows. I am tired of it and am waiting to see it to its final conclusion, we can look back, sigh, and say "what were we thinking".

PO1 Jeffrey Pennala - I was in a career field that was all Men, it did open up and women were slowly moved into that field and most of them adapted quite well and were effective and independent in their duty performance. In later years after women had already proved they could do that job they became a permanent part of that career field , Specifically I speak of the Security Police/Security Forces. Making women look like Men to do the same job is in my opinion overstepping any reasonable expectations, its duty performance that concerns Me and along with a proper Military appearance keeping within reasonable standards. There are some people both male and female that aren't suited to that career field but most that work that job do meet or exceed the standards. Doing anything to be politically correct is a major problem and the two sexes do have differences but they don't tend to be motivation, duty performance or patriotism. Training however, for male or females is another related subject, either You meet the standard and do whats expected of You or You don't belong there !

As a transgender vet, let me say that current regs across all the US uniform services enforce western societal sex and gender norms, and this includes uniform regs on acceptable hair styles and hair length. The libertarian part of my soul asks the question "Should enforcing sex and gender norms should be a function of government?" Other than enforcing societal sex and gender norms, I don't see a reason.

At 17 I joined AF Ready Reserve on my B’day. An opportunity came the following year to go Active AF
And I took it.(they needed the AFSC I had. I became Active duty on my 18th B’day. Shortly after the Sqdn Clerk asked if I ever signed for selective service. He had my 201 opened in front of him, why ask a
Stupid question. The answer is in front of him.. So I never answered ... ($&@€£¥%#|\!) I didn’t believe I needed to.. I pulled out my cover and put it on on the way out the door.. I think he figured it out a few days later..

WOW

That sums it up.

My problem is the men who say women should have their heads shaved because it would be funny. We should be respected no matter the regulation.