The Pentagon and several senior US military officials are condemning Fox News host Tucker Carlson for sexist remarks made earlier this week wherein he mocked women serving in the armed forces saying that they were weakening the U.S. armed forces. Carlson had on his prime-time program had said that the US military "needs to become, as Joe Biden says, more feminine."
This certainly hasn't gone down well with the Pentagon and top-level military officials. Condemning the sexist attack, Pentagon on Thursday said it was proud of the military's diversity and said it needed to do a better job of promoting women to senior ranks.
Demeaning Women
On Tuesday, Carlson mocked during his prime-time program saying that while "China's military becomes more masculine ... our military needs to become, as Joe Biden says, more feminine." Carlson, who is the face of the right-wing channel Fox, actually ridiculed President Joe Biden for saying that the US military had created uniforms to fit women properly, created maternity flight suits for those who are pregnant, and updated requirements for hairstyles.
"So we've got new hairstyles and maternity flight suits," Carlson laughed. "Pregnant women are going to fight our wars. It's a mockery of the US military." Although, there wasn't any immediate reaction from the higher authorities on Tuesday, Carlson's comments prompted severe backlash on Thursday with the Pentagon and senior military officials calling on him.
The Pentagon in response to the Carlson's remarks said it was proud of the military's diversity. "What we absolutely won't do is take personnel advise from a talk show host or the Chinese military," said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby.
Kirby added that he hoped Carlson would "realize the mistake he made and express some regret about the manner in which he essentially demeaned the entire US military and how we defend and how we serve this country."
Pentagon More Determined
Carlson's remarks came after Biden during a White House ceremony on Monday, announced the nominations of two female generals to become combatant commanders. This will make the two female generals become only the second and third women to serve in those positions in US history.
However, Carlson's remarks are being seen as extremely derogatory and sexist and an insult to all the women in armed forces.Many senior military officials on Thursday also took to Twitter to call Carlson out for what they described as harmful and divisive rhetoric. Army Gen. Paul Funk, head of Training and Doctrine Command, tweeted on Wednesday that female service members are "beacons of freedom" who "prove Carlson wrong through determination and dedication. We are fortunate they serve with us."
Master Gunnery Sgt. Scott Stalker, the top leader at US Space Command, released a video message on Thursday denouncing "drama TV." He urged soldiers to "get back to work" and "remember that those opinions were made by an individual who has never served a day in his life."
That said, Pentagon is more determined than ever to do better and don't feel demoralized after Carlson's remarks.
"Now, maybe those folks feel like they have something to prove. That's on them. We know we're the greatest military in the world today, and even for all the things we need to improve, we know exactly why that's so," Kirby said while addressing the media.
