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Women in the united states military gender equality
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On Thursday December 3rd, 2015, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter made the announcement that all combat positions would be opened to women (Brook). Taking effect next year, women will be able to join our military’s most elite and battle hardened divisions such as the Navy Seals, Marine Corps Infantry, and Army Special Forces (Brook) -- making a total of 213,600 positions throughout 52 specialties available (Brook). In the President’s words:
The Defense Department is taking another historic step forward by opening up the remaining 10 percent of military positions, including combat roles, to women. As Commander in Chief, I know that this change, like others before it, will again make our military even stronger. (Rhodan)
So why, if our president says this decision is so beneficial, have so many people acted so adversely? Why has there been so much backlash towards this decision? Was it justified?
Like with any modern point of contention, it is important to understand the history. Since as early as the revolutionary war, women have been active participants in the U.S. military. From nursing soldiers to cross-dressing and actually fighting, women have played a crucial
Presented by retired U.S. Army Ranger Jeff Struecker in a CNN Interview; “I think what we’ve just done is open the door to the expectation that women will now serve in the most violent, dangerous roles in the military (Stuecker),” the argument states that if women are allowed into the military, the future will bring their expectation to serve. It states that in the future, women and men will be drafted and the army will be made up of an equal number of men and women. This fifty-fifty makeup, says Struecker, is not beneficial due to the fact that the average male far outperforms the average female in battle training
The military is trying to find new ways to recognize the fact that women now fight in the country’s wars. In 2011 the Military Leadership Diversity Commission recommended that the Department of Defense remove all combat restrictions on women. Although many jobs have been opened for women in the military, there is still 7.3 percent of jobs that are closed to them. On February 9, 2012, George Little announced that the Department of Defense would continue to reduce the restrictions that were put on women’s roles. The argument that “women are not physically fit for combat” is the most common and well-researched justification for their exclusion from fighting units. It has been proven if women go through proper training and necessary adaptations, they can complete the same physical tasks as any man. Though there seem to be many reasons from the exclusion of women in the military, the main ones have appeared to be that they do not have the strength to go through combat, would be a distraction to the men, and that they would interrupt male bonding and group
With society’s past and present it is apparent that women are still not equal even if they have the title. Men are observably stronger and have a different mentality in situations than women. This is not to say that women should not be in the military but they should have the choice that way they can accept the responsibility and train themselves mentally and physically to achieve the responsibility and respect needed to fight for our country.
Since the resolution of World War II, the United States has been involved in over fifteen extensive military wars. Recent wars between Iraq and Afghanistan are being fought over several issues which affect women in both the United States and the other nations. While the military is often thought of a male dominated institution, women are present and affected all throughout the system as soldiers, caretakers, partners, and victims. Transnational feminists often fight against war due to the vulnerability that is placed on women during times of war. Despite often being overlooked, there is no doubt that women are heavily included in the devastating consequences of war.
excluded from a number of jobs for no other reason than stereotyping, ideas of the inferiority of women in combat, and the chauvinistic thought of if their not there it wont happen. Remember none of the reason that I listed above would be sufficient for a government employer to legally close jobs to women so why is it different in our Armed Service?
The most recent debate questions a women’s engagement in combat. What distinguishes some positions as being acceptable while others are not? Who has the authority to approve exceptions, and what exceptions have been made? On May 13, 2011, a bill placed before the House of Representatives addressed the issues to “repeal the ground combat exclusion policy for female members” (HR 1928).
Women have shown great courage and sacrifice on and off the battlefield, contributed in unprecedented ways to the military's mission and proven their ability to serve in an expanding number of role... The department's goal in rescinding the rule is to ensure that the mission is met with the best-qualified and most capable people, regardless of gender.
"Update: Women in the Military." Issues and Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 29 May 2007. Web.
When it comes to combat assignments and the needs of the military, men take precedence over all other considerations, including career prospects of female service members. Female military members have been encouraged to pursue opportunities and career enhancement within the armed forces, which limit them only to the needs and good of the service due to women being not as “similarly situated” as their male counterparts when it comes to strength or aggressiveness, and are not able to handle combat situations.
The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution guaranteed women the right to vote marking what was to become the beginning of the equality movement for women in our nation. Gender equality in the military is a recurring debate. This issue is to much debate and disagreement, it is my opinion that women should be allowed the opportunity to compete for the elite positions available in our nation’s Special Forces. In addition, women should be allowed to be on the front line serving as combat soldiers provided that they satisfy the same requirements as set forth for their male counterparts. The pursuit of equal rights for women began long before this current issue of the right of women to fight in combat zones or the opportunity to compete a position on our nation’s most elite fighting force. With ongoing wars in the Middle East, many have began to question whether a double standard exists for women in the military versus women in the private sector. Are women equal or not?
Many women around the world have big responsibilities in the military, and although some people may disagree, I believe they can handle anything a man can handle when it comes to being on the battlefield. Some people think that women should not be able to fight in the military, where as other people think they should be able to fight in the military. Each supporter and non-supporter has their own reasons. Some of the reasons for the non-supporters are because of their gender. They think that because they are women, they cannot handle the challenges that being on the battlefield brings. Women are willing to fight, and they know what can happen, they know exactly what can happen. They are willing to fight for their country, and I believe they should be able to. The men that fight for our country are against women fighting in combat. They believe that women are not capable of doing what they do to defend and fight for our country. The men feel that they cannot trust women to help back them up at war simply because of the fact that they are women.
In 2015 the military removed the ban on women serving in combat roles. Before this women could serve in combat zones, but could not serve in combat roles (i.e. drive tanks, lead the infantry, be an Army Ranger or Navy SEAL). Now men and women serving in the military can have the same jobs and are paid the same rate based on rank and specialty.
Since the creation of the Selective Service Act of 1917, the role of a woman has evolved from the common role of a housewife, teacher or nurse. Now women have access to and are equally able to join many different career fields that were once gender based. The case Rostker v Goldberg 1981 debated whether or not women should be excluded from the Selective Service Act. Congress came to determine that “since women are excluded from combat roles in the Armed Forces, then they are not similarly situated for the purpose of the draft (Rostker, 1981)”. According to the Army Times in 2012, “The Army will start placing women in as many as 14,000 combat related jobs (Tan, 2012)”. So now, women are able to pursue combative careers in the military.
To start off, citizens believe that having women in our Armed Forces creates an even better force. Having women does not only give more help to the forces but it also gives better talent and an even stronger army. In the article, “Get Women Ready for Combat” by CNN it summarizes how women will make the forces stronger and essentially many women have applied as a total of 205,000 women are occupied in the army today. Even if people don’t women in harm’s way they are still pertaining or having a harm introduced to them either way in the military. Secretary Ash Carter has also already directed the military to open
Many agree, that in certain military occupations, women can function at the same level as men. The controversy about having women fighting with men in wars is the fact that they have a different physical structure, deal with stress and emotions differently , are more susceptible to injury and just don't have the killer instinct necessary to get the job done. Although the last statement might appear to be a stereotype, most women would not be capable of supporting the demanding rigors of war-like situations. It would be a great mistake to allow women in these stressful and dangerous situations.
Skaine, Rosemarie. “Properly Trained Servicewomen Can Overcome Physical Shortcomings.” Women at War: Gender Issues of Americans in Combat (1999). Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Thomson Gale. University of South Alabama Library. 15 July 2006 .