Things I Think Female Soldiers Are Probably Tired Of

[desertvixen]

At least, I know this female soldier is.

1) Women aren't in combat.  Okay, not in direct combat.  Okay, not in direct combat UNITS.  And if they are, and they happen to get a Silver Star, we'll yank them out because God forbid we expose women to that kind of danger.  The fact is, there's not really a defined battlefield anymore, and the old regs are just that.  They're old.  They don't apply so well. 

2) Women can't be in combat arms (CA) units because they're weaker than men.  Or because the men can't be trusted to ignore the instinct that says, "Protect the woman at all costs".  They won't be able to keep up.  They'll destroy unit cohesion.  OMG, they menstruate!

I am NOT saying that I, myself, personally, would want to be in a CA unit.  I wouldn't.  I don't think I could make the physical qualifications.  But there are female soldiers I have worked with who could have done that.  Who wanted to do it.  And I think they should be given the chance to try.

3) The Army says it's okay to deploy a woman's who just given birth 4-6 months ago.  Despite the fact that her body is likely not physically recovered from the pregnancy/childbirth experience.  Despite the fact that this plays merry hell with her bonding with her infant.  Despite the fact that other services allow up to 12 months before a woman is deployable again.

I have a feeling that the root of this is the belief that if there's a really long grace period after childbirth, women will game the system.

Again, one of the reasons I'm getting out is because no, I don't like the prospect of spending a year away from my child.  I'll be doing it, but I'm also voting with my feet the next time I get a chance.  I tried it, I don't like it.

4) Insulting male soldiers by calling them "girls", or "ladies".  Implying that they're weak, like women.

5) Sexual assault prevention training that focuses on all the things the victim should NOT do (most of which is sensible advice), but never includes the slide that says:

 Men: Don't Rape.
           Don't keep buying drinks for someone who's already impaired.
           Don't let your buddies do either of the above.

Sorry, got a little ranty and venty there.  But still.  Truth is truth.

DV

Comments

[garpu.livejournal.com]

Regarding #4...I know it's not the same as the military, but I've heard people (generally men) talk about how women can't write music, and that there aren't any women composers because they all write bad music. I haven't heard men insult each other's music by comparing them to girls, but there's definitely the thought that women are inferior/weak/stupid. I mean, it's the 21st century already, and people are still dismissive of women's abilities.

(Have kind of wondered how women deal with menstruation while out in the middle of East Bumfuck, but I guess it's no different than when Auntie Flo comes during camping. Yes! I got my first period on a camping trip! That was fun!)

[desert-vixen.livejournal.com]

There's a couple of ways to get around the period thing, especially now with the pills you can take so you don't have a period. You can also bring supplies.

The thing about 4 that you bring out is the whole "women haven't done X", when men ignore that historically, men have not ALLOWED women to do X. Especially when X involves art, music, science, etc. There were female artists, composers, etc but you have to dig down deep in history to find them.

DV

[garpu.livejournal.com]

Oh nice. Was *so* not fun to have a period in the middle of the woods, especially with the average maturity of Girl Scouts.

Yeah, and then when women do a given thing, there are going to be differences, because they haven't had access to the same training as men had for centuries. So those differences get interpreted as mistakes. You can't win.