Women have been serving in the military for hundreds of years, as nurse maids, combat support, and/or even disguising themselves as men... I can recall a old folk song by the Grateful Dead called (Jack a roe) who celebrates a woman's strength and will. Some of you may wonder what in the world does folk music have to do with women in the military? Actually folk music is like story telling, of culture or popular thought- usually of a lower class/repressed group of people over a long period of time. Just as an example one line of lyrics go like this: "Before you get on board sir your name we liked to know, I see your waist is slender, your fingers they are small, your cheeks to red and rosey to face the the cannon ball." This example is one of a woman who dressed up as a sailor and it celebrates just one woman's bravery. Their are many more examples, think about the disney movie Mulan.
The first woman to be recognized for service was Margret Corbin, and she actually collected a military pension. (1779)
As we explore Geographies of Identity today, I choose military women because my daughter is a soldier. Her name is Adealiah Deliliah Bennett and is currently deployed and stationed in Kuwait. There are many debates about whether women should serve in combat roles, and issues women face while in the military. Society has an established view of
a woman's role in the military, and it has caused injustice to women in
the military for years. The overall view of women in the military from the military standpoint of view, has
been that women are 2nd class citizens to the men soldiers. ( they certainly would not say this, their actions do!) This view has
been reinforced by the way women have been excluded from promoting to
higher positions. Men have no problems advancing quickly when considering combat missions they have under their
belts. Also the accounts of sexual assault cases that have been swept
under the rug. It is, as if the assaults these women endure are
acceptable and the majority of the time the man predator is from the
women's own unit Her brother in arms. For years this has been
going on!! Recently in
current events and breaking news it has become obvious that society within this powerful Institution has
overlooked this group of people, and their roles within the whole.
According to 2011 Newsweek report women are more likely to be sexually assaulted by a fellow soldier than to be killed in combat. Only 1 in 5 from the USAF said that they would even report being assaulted.
Questions that come to my mind, with the critical theory approach
are the very same
questions Senator Gillibrand asks. Why is this happening? Not only can
we focus on the injustice, but we should explore how to change the system, to protect women soldiers. My hopes for our nation, is that social justice will prevail and this Institution that protects and serves all Americans will change it's current discipline practices for those that comment these crimes. I feel as though it must start from the bottom up. Each unit provides safe ways for these crimes to be reported and prosecuted, no matter what the overall military code is, if someone feels pressured within their everyday routine they will continue to be scared to report theses types of crimes.
The Times are changing!!
The popular thought of women in the military is that: As long as women are not in combat roles it is completely OK by majority that they serve support roles. There are currently law suits, that have
appeared over this approach as more women stand up for their rights of
equal justice. The major issue becomes promotion issues, as a soldier
gains sonority and service in combat zones they become eligible for better pay, but under current law "women are technically not able to perform or hold title in combat zones" so therefore are excluded from sonority and experience
in combat zones. Title 10 U.S.C. 6015~ Navy and Marines states women
are not allowed to be assigned to combat missions. Title 10 U.S.C. 8549~
Air-force aircraft women are not allowed to engage in aircraft engaged missions. Title 10 U.S.C. 3012 U.S. Army gives the secretary of defense the authority to determine personal policy.
331% of jobs are open to women out of 500% of all 5 branches of the military. That's just a little of half of the jobs, but there are considerations such as special teams units called FET. That stands for female engagement teams and they are currently on the front lines attached to the marine corps. They engage in breaking the barrier between cultures of occupied countries currently Afghanistan they also served in Iraq but have gone completely "just attached" to front line units.
Women have been doing the same jobs men have in the armed services. Within the Military Institution they measure qualifications by physical standards, such as sit ups push ups and running time, they call it "PT". That is also a way to progress within the Military and as up till now women have different standards than men. According to my daughter, she can out perform many males within her unit. On a larger scale the measurement of Physical Standards is the biggest argument that some in power are using to criticize the newly lifted ban. As I approached, this criticism through the Social construction approach, it seems really simple to think "why not change the standards, so they are equal"? and upon my research I've found resistance to change the system boils right down to enforcing social construction. This Institution has treated women this way for so long, (a Institution that is built under the guise of freedom and equality) that the measurement of Physical standard is purposely in place to hold women back. Back into the socially accepted support role. Therefore the Institution still used the measurement system that supports the a lower physical standard that doesn't match the job. A more accurate physical standard would be weight bearing to the back or accuracy with a gun. On a battle field could you just imagine, two soldiers on a face off on the ground battling by means of push ups? A woman is built biologically unable to have the same upper body mass, because women have tissue mass on the chest (breasts) that is not muscle bearing tissue. This is the perfect example for social construction. I don't want to bash the Military as I am a proud Mother of a soldier, and I also am open minded to the fact: in the past wars have been fought using hand to hand combat, but as war strategy and technologies have changed so must this Institution!
