Jeremy Vine: Former soldier discusses ‘lad’ word ban

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A Jeremy Vine caller revealed she was once one of the first female British Army soldiers as she weighed in on the debate surrounding the army banning the use of the word lad. Explaining her time in the army, caller Lesley from Kent revealed she had been the victim of sexism, being one of the only women in her squad. Despite this, she detailed how she overcame the difficulties she faced and admitted in some instances she found the occurrences funny.

However, regarding the banning of the word lad, when used, she said it was more offensive to not include the ladies one of the lads.

Lesley said: “No Jeremy, it absolutely doesn’t offend me.

“I was one of the first three women in the army who was actually put into a squad of all men.

“We had to undergo the horrendous sexism but we would have found it funny.

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“For example I am quite top-heavy, to put it politely, it used to be private, we can see you coming half an hour before you come around the corner.

“I never took offence, I just found it funny.

“We were referred to as one of the lads, it was almost more offensive when they used to say lads and the ladies in a very derogatory way.

“One of the times we were on field exercises, as one of the first women ever to do so, I went to a sergeant major and asked would it be okay if I used the toilet, he said there weren’t any.

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“So I said I am on my period, he said just go dig a hole, he didn’t give me a spade so I just had to go work out how to sort out this problem.

“It was just the reality of the times, I didn’t take offence, I had to problem-solve.”

Comedian Abi Roberts also weighed in on the debate while speaking on TalkRadio and dubbed it unbelievable.

Radio host Mark Dolan agreed and said the military would be doomed if be became “woke.”

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Ms Roberts said: “I think if you’ve got the enemy facing you, you’re not going to be worried about calling somebody a lad or a gent or actually what their pronouns are.

“When you’ve got somebody with a bayonet that’s about to be shoved through your skull I really don’t think that matters does it!”

“It’s unbelievable that this is happening.

“In all seriousness, if you’re in the army and you’re facing the enemy these things don’t matter what matters is who’s next to you, your fellow soldier.

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