MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The U.S. Navy has scrapped a recruiting mailer that promised women they could join while staying in touch with their feminine side.
Navy officials said Tuesday they made the decision amid criticism that the wording was condescending and perpetuated stereotypes.
The mailer says the Navy offers women opportunities "most girls aren't even aware of" in career areas that "aren't just for the guys... all while staying in touch with your feminine side."
The mailer went out to about 202,900 people across several states, including Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin.
Lt. Commander Nate Christensen said the mailer doesn't reflect Navy values and was removed from a database of mailer templates after The Associated Press inquired about it. He says officials are now reviewing language in all templates.
He sent 10News a statement that reads:
"We appreciate AP bringing this matter to our attention. Today, women make up 18% of the U.S. Navy and they are indispensable to the national security mission. Thousands of women have served alongside men aboard our ships, as well as in Iraq, Afghanistan, and their record of performance has been nothing less than outstanding. Women have shown great courage and sacrifice - we simply could not accomplish the mission without them.This mailer's wording does not comport with or reflect our values and beliefs.We have removed this mailer from our data base and are reviewing all of our template mailers to ensure they contain only language that reflects our core values and beliefs, and are respectful for all."
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