Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Erin Keller

Razor bumps can now get you kicked out of the marines. Black men will likely suffer the most

Black service members make up about 15 percent to 16 percent of the active-duty military, but they hold 66 percent of the shaving waivers, according to Military.com. - (Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images)

The US Marine Corps is eliminating waivers that previously allowed service members who suffer from razor bumps to forgo shaving — an action critics say disproportionately affects Black men.

The US military requires all male service members to be clean-shaven. However, the military introduced shaving wavers in the 1970s to address genetic skin conditions like pseudofolliculitis barbae, better known as razor bumps or ingrown hairs.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.