Female soldiers in Canada's military have been wearing uniforms designed primarily for men for decades, which some say has made their jobs harder. That's about to change with new uniforms and body armour to fit women's bodies.

Ottawa

For over three decades, women in the Canadian military have worn combat uniforms and body armor designed primarily for men, often resulting in poor fit and increased risk of injury. Recognizing this issue, a specialized team has spent five years developing new uniforms tailored specifically for women, including features like contoured cuts and maternity options.

This marks the first time operational clothing in the Canadian Armed Forces will include gender-specific designs. The new uniforms are scheduled for release in 2027, with officials hoping the initiative will enhance safety and help attract and retain more women in the military.

Canada's military designing combat uniforms for women

For more than 30 years, women have been serving in combat, but wearing uniforms and body armor, primarily designed for men, that often doesn't fit. It sends a message that you are an afterthought, we're accommodating you. Sandra Perron made history as Canada's first female infantry officer. She wore a men's extra small uniform that didn't fit, but like many, made it work. We've had a lot of injuries, we've had a lot of women who have left the military because of that. We should be ashamed of ourselves. This expert says it's an issue senior military leadership has known about for decades. You end up with equipment that is less effective at protecting them against bullets, and that can create a higher rate of casualties in combat. Behind the scenes, a specialized team has spent five years working on a solution. It's not as if we have been fielding modern equipment to soldiers and leaving women out. We haven't been doing it. Grasp the handles on both sides. They've been scanning military members' bodies for measurements, running focus groups and doing extensive testing, including in the field. All to modernize the Army and Air Force's combat uniforms, including versions specifically designed for women's bodies. This is the first time this has happened for operational clothing. It's a huge statement of support. They've started rolling out new merino wool base layers, including contoured cuts. There's room for the belly. There's more. And maternity options. That can be zipped in to make the jacket bigger. And are working on prototypes for camouflage combat uniforms. For my work with the Allies, nobody else has really those cuts that are gender specific. Lieutenant Colonel Melanie Lake is already defending the uniform after trying it with a body armor system for women. There are people who will instantly jump to criticizing that this is just another woke initiative of the military. That couldn't be further from the truth. This isn't a woke issue. This is a war fighting issue. The new uniforms made in Canada are slated to start being released in 2027. Officials hope it could help attract and retain more women across the forces. Ashley Burke, CBC News, Ottawa.

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