A force to imagine: A feminist rethinking of universality of service

Against the backdrop of large-scale reconstitution, multiple internal and external reports, surveys, advisory panels, class action lawsuits, and emerging literature, the authors call for the application of a feminist anti-oppression lens to a key pillar of the Canadian Armed Forces personnel system: the universality of service. While the literature has highlighted the systemic structures of oppression upon which the military is built, this article provides a concrete example of the impact and opportunities for the universality of service. The authors demonstrate how applying innovation and imagination to this taken-for-granted principle, which is rooted in Canadian military personnel policies, can spark cultural change to support equity, as well as address the personnel crises of today and tomorrow.