Pentagon Facial Hair Rule Seen as Discriminatory Against Black Service Members
The Pentagon has announced that service members who require medical exemptions from shaving facial hair will now face separation from the military if their condition persists beyond one year with treatment. The policy was issued by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in a memo dated August 20 and applies across all branches of the U.S. armed forces. Under the rule those with waivers must follow a medical treatment plan and cannot remain exempt indefinitely.
Most waivers are granted to those diagnosed with pseudofolliculitis barbae or PFB a condition in which curly hairs grow back into the skin after shaving causing irritation swelling and sometimes infection. It is a medical issue that overwhelmingly affects Black men. According to dermatology sources up to sixty percent of Black men experience this condition. In one military branch nearly sixty five percent of shaving waivers are held by Black male service members and one survey found that men with waivers saw slower promotion than peers without them with most in the waiver group identifying as Black.
Supporters of the policy argue that grooming and appearance standards are part of military discipline and professionalism and say waivers cannot be open ended. They also point out that clean shaves help ensure a proper seal for gas masks which is critical in combat or chemical exposure situations. The memo states that clean shaven and neat presentation is required. Critics say this rule is discriminatory because it forces Black men either to suffer painful skin conditions or risk their careers. They say many treatments are costly or unavailable especially for severe cases of PFB. For those with severe PFB permanent solutions such as laser therapy are sometimes advised though these are expensive and coded as cosmetic in many cases making access difficult.
Medical experts point out that PFB is a genetic predisposition rather than a matter of shaving technique or hygiene. Even when shaving properly shaving for many with the condition still causes irritation pigmentation changes scarring and even abscesses. Black men make up about seventeen to twenty percent of the active duty enlisted force but are disproportionately represented in shaving waiver statistics indicating a policy that impacts them far more heavily.
The change follows prior tightening of grooming rules by various services. The Army tightened its policy in July the Marine Corps earlier in the year and the Air Force made changes beginning in January. Many who stand to lose their waivers say the one year limit gives insufficient time for treatment to fully heal PFB especially in severe cases and raises fears of discrimination within the ranks.
