Nipping Sexism in the BUD/S: Navy SEAL Ethos Goes Gender-Neutral, Drops Toxically Masculine Terms

AP featured image — Seal of the U.S. Navy Seals. (AP Photo)

If you’ve ever been a Navy SEAL reciting your ethos and — though surrounded by only men in the most macro way imaginable — grieved “We shouldn’t be saying we’re male,” I offer exceeding relief.

You knew it would happen, and now it has: Wokeness has penetrated the most elite level of the military.

In the fight against sexism, Osama bin Laden’s least favorite group of Americans has gone gently gender neutral.

The Daily Wire reports:

[T]he U.S. Navy SEALs or Navy Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCC) qualification training pipeline, the Seals and the SWCC have changed the language of their ethos and creed statements to be [neither male nor female].

Therefore, if ve/zie makes the team, ey/(f)ae will be whisked by welcoming words.

Sure — during training, thon/em had to carry telephone poles and freeze to the brink of death…but othering is especially savage.

Enter the Special Force of inclusivity.

As an example of the upgrade, the SEAL ethos statement once began thusly:

“A common man with uncommon desire to succeed…”

Now here’s the Wool Sweater version:

“Common citizens with uncommon desire to succeed…”

As for the antiquated “I am that man,” timely team members will tout, “I am that warrior.”

The ethos previously posed, “The ability to control my emotions and my actions, regardless of circumstance, sets me apart from other men.”

Kittens with Mittens Edition:

“The ability to control my emotions and my actions, regardless of circumstance, sets me apart from others.”

On to the SWCC, though they once boasted over “brotherhood,” the official creed contemporarily claps for a “group of maritime warriors.”

Additionally, instead of announcing, “I challenge my brother to perform, as I expect them to challenge me,” new recruits will simply “challenge them to perform.”

Naval Special Warfare ~~spokesman~~ spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Stroup explained the advancements to American Military News:

“Naval Special Warfare continues to deliberately develop a culture of tactical and ethical excellence that reflects the nation we represent, and that draws upon the talents of the all-volunteer force who meet the standards of qualification as a SEAL or SWCC. … The previous versions of the SEAL Ethos and SWCC Creed were written prior to the law allowing women to serve as operators in Naval Special Warfare. The changes…ensure that all those who meet the requirements to train to become a SEAL or SWCC are represented in the ethos or creed they live out.”

Matthew also confirmed, “To date, no women completed the SEAL or SWCC qualification training pipelines.”

Call it a preemptive strike.

And for some of the boxes future change-making chicks’ll be checking, here’s TDW:

A prospective candidate for the SEALs must be able to do 42 push-ups in two minutes, swim 500 yards breaststroke in less than 21 ½ minutes, run 1 ½ miles in eleven minutes, perform 50 sit-ups in two minutes, and do 6 pull-ups. That’s just to be a candidate. Once past that test, the candidate enters the Delayed Entry Program phase to reach optimum levels, making them qualified for Boot Camp. Then the candidate enters PRE-BUDS, a 7-9 week Apprenticeship Training Division School (A-School), with immediate assignment to BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition / SEAL) training, a seven-month training course. SEALs reportedly will not endorse a candidate for BUD/S training unless the candidate can do the 500 yard swim under 9:00, 100 pushups in 2:00, 100 sit-ups in 2:00, 20 pullups, and run 1 ½ miles in under 9:00 in boots and pants.

Who’s to say it couldn’t happen? After all, Demi Moore pulled it off:

The most memorable swimsuits ever, from Farrah Fawcett to Demi Moore: http://t.co/pLKrDqpt4N pic.twitter.com/gTCt4RSH4E

— InStyle (@InStyle) April 1, 2015