Women In War By Carol Cohn

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Recommended: Gender in the military

The Divide between Women and Warfare
The purpose of Carol Cohn’s article “Women in War” is to explain why there is a divide between women and the military regardless of their contributions to and key roles in war. Cohn argues, because of the gender coding of characteristics, institutions such as the military have been established in such a way that not only rejects characteristics of femininity but also preserves masculinity. Cohn employs logic, fact, and the reasoning of experts in their own respective fields to answer why such a separation between the military and women exists.
Cohn begins her argument by introducing the initial separation of women and the military through gender coding. Cohn defines gender coding as “a set way of thinking” which dictates what many consider to be feminine and what is masculine. Cohn believes these gender codes cause the separation between women and war because war …show more content…

War, according to Cohn, “is symbolically and practically linked to the norms of masculinity” thereby establishing all things military and war related to be primarily masculine. The central point in Con’s argument is that the military suppresses femininity while preserving masculinity. She claims women’s roles in war efforts are not recognized for the sake of keeping the military masculine. While war is seen mostly as masculine, Cohn counter argues that point by explaining that “the actual activities soldiers engage in would be culturally coded as ‘feminine’ were they not taking place within an institution which is itself coded hyper-masculine”. Cohn concretely concludes her argument with evidence from former U.S. Marine Corps General Robert H. Barrow who said “war is a man’s work… [women in the front lines would] trample the male ego…you have to protect the manliness of war.” By using the expert opinion of a Marine Corps General as evidence, Cohn justifies her argument concisely and

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