‘Housewife kits’ go in Army sexism war

ARMY chiefs stung by criticism over their use of politically incorrect language have banned troops from referring to sewing sets as ‘housewife kits’, according to a document seen by The Mail on Sunday.

Soldiers at the infantry training school (SCHINF) in Brecon, who have to sew badges and buttons on to their uniforms, must now say ‘sewing kit’ while military training manuals containing the term ‘housewife kit’ will be pulped.

It comes after The Mail on Sunday revealed how squaddies were told to refer to themselves as ‘infantry soldiers’ rather than ‘infantrymen’ and use terms such as ‘mortar operator’ rather than ‘mortarman’ to avoid offending women.

Troops could even face disciplinary action if they fail to adhere to the new guidelines, which are intended to bring the Army into line with civilian organisations and to encourage more women to join the infantry. But one soldier told this newspaper the move was ‘a surrender to political correctness’.

The latest set of orders to troops at the training school reads: ‘Gender specific terms [including housewife kit] are to be removed from all doctrine, policy, orders and instructions with SCHINF and their use discouraged.’

The Army’s ‘PC’ move was been backed by Equality Now, a non-government organisation which aims to promote the rights of women and girls.

Jacqui Hunt, from Equality Now, said: ‘While it’s easy to dismiss what may seem to some as an innocuous phrase, the Armed Forces and society in general must take a gendered lens to all its institutions.’

While the Army may now come under pressure to change historic gender-specific ranks such as guardsman, the Ministry of Defence insisted last night these will remain in use.