Defence minister slams letter referring to breasts as ‘developing bits’

A letter outlining the dress code for young people interested in joining a Newfoundland air cadets squadron is offensive and “completely unacceptable,” Canada’s defence minister said Friday after learning that the document referred to girls’ breasts as “developing bits.”

Harjit Sajjan issued the blunt statement after a parent complained about a leaflet handed out recently by the 510 Lions Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron in St. John’s.

A photo of the document provided by the military shows it outlines what the squadron considers appropriate civilian dress for cadets and lists the Four Bs: “boobs, belly, bums, boxers,” going on to say that girls should wear shirts that do not “reveal their developing bits.”

“This kind of language and the attitudes it represents are completely unacceptable in the cadets, in the Canadian Armed Forces and in our society,” Sajjan said.

“This shaming of young women is offensive to me as a person, as a father, and as the Minister of National Defence. It is completely inappropriate.”

The strongly worded condemnation comes after the mother of a 13-year-old girl revealed the letter and told the CBC she believed it sexualized young girls and imposed different standards on them than their male counterparts.

The document also spells out guidelines for acceptable hair, makeup and body piercings.

Canada’s top soldier, Gen. Jonathan Vance, also criticized the leaflet and said he would try to make sure materials distributed by cadet organizations show more respect to members of the Canadian Armed Forces.

“While we expect all cadets to dress appropriately and professionally, this letter used language that is completely unacceptable and not in keeping with Operation Honour,” he said in a statement.