Women In the Military
Women’s rights have consistently been an issue in United States history. America, being a country based on equal rights and the freedom of religion, made it easy to incorporate equal rights for women. Women’s rights have also become a significant and highly debated issue in these recent years. Speaking from personal opinion, and according to the natural law of the Catholic Church, women being drafted into the military would be considered out of role.
The women’s equal rights amendment passed legislation on March 22, 1972. This amendment was initiated to give all women equal opportunities; one of those opportunities included the enlistment for military duty. U.S. standard military requires physical standards that
I agree with women participating in combat. I feel women are sometimes minimized and overlooked to the things that they can and are capable of doing. If I was to serve in the military I would not be affected by someone of a different gender. I believe that can only happened if a female does not have the self-esteem and confidence that they need. When someone has these things, there is nothing that can bring someone down or have a person feeling less than what they are. Years ago, a lot of the jobs women did in the military were not at all dangerous. They were not allowed to do certain things in the military because they are women. Today women and men are put on for the same jobs. I think although we as a society have not reached the level
Over the past few years, there has been huge discussions when the topic of equality for women who have joined the military is being brought up. Being that gender equality is a big thing in the military now, I decided to chose this topic and discuss how I feel about it. According to the United States constitution, all men are created equal and this does not exclude women. One of the main things I learned is that equality for women in the military is a major issue. There should be no gender inequality in the United States military period. Most jobs are now open to women that were once allowed for only a man to do but when it comes to something such as the military, it should have always been that way No one should be told they can’t do something when it requires fighting for your country. Even back when men were drafted in the military, women should have been able to get drafted as well. You would think the military would take any and everybody that is willing to fight for his or her country simply because it would make our job easier as a whole. Frequently, women are stereotyped as feeble and incapable of doing certain things. Nevertheless, this should not be applied in any kind of career, particularly in the military.
Only men are required to actually sign up for the draft after turning 18 years old.
Women now make up 14 percent of the active-duty military in the United States, which is up from 1.6 percent, 25 years prior. (Christian Science Monitor, 1). In 1948, President Truman signed the Women 's Armed Services Integration Act which created the role of women in the military. This law meant that each branch of the service was allowed to have one female Colonel (Byfield, 12). As of 2015, there are many women who serve as Generals and Admirals. All of these roles are non-combative. Even though some women can do anything a man can do, the vast majority can not, therefore making it an unsafe idea to place these women into combat positions.
Upon the acceptance of the Combat Exclusion Law, each military service was to define their policies to determine where females could and could not serve. What this means to the Army in particular is that “all jobs except those having the highest probability of engaging in direct combat” (Ferber, 1987, p. 4) will be opened to women in the Army. The Navy, Marines and Air Force have all had to evaluate the exclusion laws as well and establish criteria as appropriate.
In the midst of debating whether or not to reinstate the draft, the question of whether the women should be included in the draft is up in the air. In my personal opinion, I believe that women should be included in the draft, since we're all considered equal. Opponents of women being in the military might argue that women might have to leave a family behind or they are not physically fit. In other countries, women are drafted into the military right after they are finish with schooling.
Just the thought of the women in your family fighting anyone make you worry, how would you feel if they were fighting for our country? Letting women endanger their lives to fight against terrorists and enemies for our country is a foolish move. Women are a distraction to men, they lack strength and have to deal with pregnancy. Women simply do not belong on the battlefield.
The Pentagon’s decision to allow women to fight in the front lines is a major step in the equal rights between the two sexes because women are just as able to fight in the front lines just as men.
The debate of whether women should participate in military combat is a controversial issue worldwide. While the majority of the western countries, such as America, believe in the conservative values associated with women in combat forces, eastern countries, like Israel, do not fully support these ideals. Some believe it is a woman’s equal right, some believe it will cause negative affects on the family’s life, and others believe women in combat should receive the rights they deserve. Every individual can and should have an opinion on the matter, but how they address the issue can vary.
Since 1901, women have served in some form of the military, however, dating back to the American Revolution women have had an unofficial role. Women have had and will continue to have an important role in the military, the question is whether women should be allowed to occupy specific combat positions. Traditionally women have not been allowed in combat occupations, but recently these restrictions have been somewhat lifted, making certain occupations available to women. Despite the lift complications arise from women being in combat vocations and it’s not just because of the physical differences, there is also the increased risk of sexual assault. Due to the detrimental impact on the military, soldiers, and society, women should not
In the article “Women in the Military” mentions the women have been joining the military since 2000. Besides that, women who serve the military do require a lot of physical requirement because of stereotypical thinking of women being weak. Even more, some commanders want more women to participate in the use of technology. Women tried fighting this kind of idea but managed to fail; In 2003 young women named Lynch was the only survivor of an insurgent attack in Iraq, which motivated more women to join the army. Even more, women that join the army also experienced harassment and rape. After these incidents, it was decided that the military training was not going to be co-ed basic training. By doing this the pentagon announced in 2013 that they
Many people believe that women should not be allowed to serve in military combat. This is ridiculous, as many women have achieved great military success throughout history. At first, women mainly served as nurses and sometimes as spies, as in the cases of Harriet Tubman and Mary Ludwig Hays. “Mary went to a nearby stream and repeatedly carried containers of water to the soldiers...she also carried wounded men to safety and took over firing her husband’s gun when he became wounded” (Worth 16). Tubman went to South Carolina in 1862 to provide nursing care for black soldiers and newly freed slaves. “Working with General David Hunter, Tubman also began spying and scouting missions behind Confederate lines. In June of 1863, she accompanied Colonel James Montgomery in an assault on several plantations along the Combahee River, rescuing more than 700 slaves” (Civil War Trust). Women have also served as soldiers, even before it was legal. In 1782, Deborah Samson Gannet enlisted under the name of her deceased brother. She served in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War for 17 months (Infoplease). There have also been women who have successfully led armies into combat. For example, the French luminary, Joan of Arc. “At the age of thirteen, Joan began hearing voices from God, commanding her to go to the assistance of the son of Charles VI, the king of France who had recently died.” (Worth 12). Joan had to lead an army to resist British intrusion on French territory. “Joan
Women have been participating in the United States military since the Revolutionary War, where they were nurses, maids, cooks and even spies. They played vital roles in order to keep those fighting on the front lines healthier, and even a more important role in keeping commanding officers informed with private information stolen from the other side. Although the Revolutionary War took play in 1776, the first law to be passed that permanently stated that women have an official place in the military was in 1948, almost one hundred and seventy-two years later. Since that time there has been a lack of true growth when it comes to integration of females in the military. In 1994, a law was passed that tried to prohibit women from being assigned to ground combat units below the brigade level. Women are excluded from more then 25% of active combat roles within the military and only in 2013 was the ban lifted which was the final barrier to allowing women into all active roles. This has been a huge step in the direction for women being considered as being equal but there are still challenges that women face within the military. Ranging from sexual assault, discrimination, bullying, and other tactics, it is clear that for many, the military is still a “boys club.”
In Women in the Military, Janette Mance explores the debates and problems faced by the increasing number of women involved in the military. After examining issues such as pregnancy, sexual harassment, and rape, Mance concludes that as a society we must continue to strive for gender equality.
“We are all equal; it is not birth but virtue alone that makes the difference.” This insightful quote from the famous French philosopher and historian “Voltaire” seems to accurately represent the beliefs of the factions of American citizens pushing to allow women to fight in combat positions within the US Armed Forces. Though the topic has just recently been boosted into the media and congressional politics, it has been long debated. A rather current editorial from USA Today titled: “Open Combat Positions to Women” outlines the recent developments in the status of a much disputed and controversial issue facing the nation today. Though somewhat less in-depth than some opposing opinions, the