Navy task force makes participants pledge to support 'intersectional identities' among sailors
Participants in a Navy diversity task force must pledge to "advocate for and acknowledge all lived experiences and intersectional identities of every Sailor in the Navy," according to task force documentation.
The surprising language, which is seen more often in college classrooms and corporate diversity workshops, comes as a part of the Navy's "Task Force One" project, what the service at the time of its announcement called "a special task force ... to address the issues of racism, sexism and other destructive biases and their impact on naval readiness."
That task force, established last June amid national unrest over racism and racial issues, seeks to "address the full spectrum of systemic racism, advocate for the needs of underserved communities, work to dismantle barriers and equalize professional development frameworks and opportunities within the Navy."
Task force members were expected to "represent the diversity of thought, experience, and perspectives within our Navy and will include membership reflecting the diversity of race, ethnicity, gender, age, and ranks from across the Navy," the military branch said in its announcement.