A branch of the U.S. military is actually considering banning recruits and lower enlisted personnel from addressing officers using the terms “sir” and “ma’am.”
According to reports, a new $2 million report commissioned by the Marine Corps from the University of Pittsburgh, the branch is considering a ban on recruits calling senior members “sir” or “ma’am” to avoid “misgendering” or offending them.
No, that’s not a joke and it’s not ‘fake news.’
The 738-page study on “gender integration” in the military was first commissioned in 2020. It is intended to recommend policies that would ease natural tensions and conflicts that allegedly come from putting young males and females in close quarters, which has been happening in the service branches for decades.
“Employing gender-neutral identifiers eliminates the possibility of misgendering drill instructors, which can unintentionally offend or cause discord,” the study said.
“By teaching recruits to use gender-neutral identifiers for their drill instructors, Services underscore the importance of respecting authoritative figures regardless of gender,” it added.
The two-year study by the University of Pittsburgh’s Warrior Human Performance Research Center also noted that “the Army, Navy, and Coast Guard effectively de-emphasize gender in an integrated environment.”
“Instead of saying ‘ma’am’ or ‘sir,’ recruits in these Services refer to their drill instructors using their ranks or roles followed by their last names,” it said. “Gendered identifiers prime recruits to think about or visually search for a drill instructor’s gender first, before their rank or role.”
“US Marine Corps are urged to stop calling instructors ‘sir’ and ‘ma’am’ to be more gender inclusive and avoid being ‘offensive’ by woke academics. Any real Marine would not let this happen!” one critic noted on Twitter.
US Marine Corps are urged to stop calling instructors 'sir' and 'ma'am' to be more gender inclusive and avoid being 'offensive' by woke academics.
Any real Marine would not let this happen! https://t.co/PRk5IP1wzG
— Vic DeGrammont (@votedegrammont) December 22, 2022
“Time for a purge of armed forces leadership it appears. Apparently they just need to clean house and start over,” said another user.
Time for a purge of armed forces leadership it appears. Apparently they just need to clean house and start over.
— Baron Young (@Baron_Young19) December 21, 2022