Amelia Gutierrez- Cultural Review: Women in the Military

"We Can Do It"

“It’s too dangerous for women to be on the front lines because they are more prone to sexual assault if they become prisoners of war”; “Women do not have the physical strength and endurance”; “Women are a distraction and disrupt the mission objectives”; “Pregnancy stops readiness”. BOLOGNA! I wanted to rip my hair out when I heard what answers I received from my male counterparts. What is it that makes men think that women aren’t just as capable as they are?
“History raves about the heroics of men in war... but few instances are mentioned in which female courage was displayed. Yet during every conflict, and the peaceful years between, they too were there” Captain Barbara A. Wilson, USAF (Ret).
Women have been serving in the military dating all the way back to 1429 when Joan of Arc led the French troops into battle against the English. It wasn’t until 1776, that the United States of America allowed a woman to serve. Margaret Corbin fought along side her husband to defend Fort Washington. When her husband was killed in action she took over his cannon until she too was seriously injured. She later became the first woman to receive pension from Congress. See to me, if a woman like that can fight beside her husband, watch him die, and know her duty to her country is to continue with the mission there is no doubt that these assumptions by my male Marines are incorrect.
They might not be false in every instance but I know a few female service members that would kick some serious butt out there on the front lines. There are just some who are born to do this kind of a job. However, just like there are some females I wouldn’t trust out there if they were to become POW's or have to hike in the dessert with 85lb packs on their backs, but there are just as many males I would have no faith in either. So let’s deal with the misconceptions.
First of all, I argue that when a woman, such as myself, willfully joins a branch of service, we are already aware of the consequences of being captured. We are trained in the same way that the men are in what to say and what not to say. If the concern is that women will more easily divulge confidential information when put into a compromising situation I feel that only then would it depend on the person. I’m sure if a male was placed in the same circumstances, they’d talk just as easily as a woman. Two female U.S. soldiers were taken captive and one was sexually abused in the Gulf War. But, did they disclose any information to the enemy? No, they knew their training and stuck to it.
Secondly, what is this crap that women just aren’t strong enough? We go through the same boot camp don’t we? I mean come on. All members of the armed services, whether male or female, must pass fitness tests, which are scaled according to age and gender. There are no current tests that specifically measure the physical skills required for each military occupational specialty (MOS), the only way to test this is to have the tasks completed. The goal is to create these gender-blind specific tests that more accurately predict anyone’s success in combat. Yes the females that are physically fit enough might be slim to none but hey, it’s an extra body out there isn’t it?
Thirdly, women distract the mission objectives? We trained to be just as concentrated on the mission objective as men are. Why does everyone seem to think that women would just try and seduce the males? We joined the military for a cause, our own personal reason to defend our Constitution against any enemy foreign or domestic, not as some dating service, thank you. And pregnancy, yes I can see where that might be seen as a complication. However, statistics show that women who are pregnant only work one less hour a week than their male counterparts. So that’s just some more crap.
I know that our country was founded on the basic principle that all men are created equal. And I know a few guys out there will says “yeah it’s says men are created equal, not women”, well I will honestly tell you guys that you’re ignorant. Women have every right to volunteer for a combat position and yes there is some room for concern but there’s always room for concern and males will always find some reason we shouldn’t be there. But I say, screw that. If I know the risks and consequences for my actions then allow me my right to do what I feel I need to for my country. Personally I am doing everything I can right now to get overseas and help my males search the females; the only combat role that a female Marine can partake in since it’s a code of ethics that men cannot touch the females in Iraq or Afghanistan. It is inevitable that in order to keep the peace with whatever friendlies we do have overseas, it will be necessary to incorporate females in a lot more ways.