Feminist I have a question for you?

Question

I've had this in my mind a long time. I'm not exactly sure on where feminist stand on one main issue. From what I know of feminism, it is the belief that women are equivalent to men. Aside from the obvious physiological differences, we are the same. I'm really all for women getting paid the same as men, for the same amount of work (and stuff). But there is one thing I'd like you to consider. If women want equality, then that men's complete equality with all the responsibilities. The main example I'm considering is the military. Yes there are many fine young men and women in the military. But they are excluded from divisions of the military where they fight on the front lines. They are also excluded from the draft. This is where the paradox is. Do feminist want these responsibilities? I as a African american male are pro-civil rights person and all for equality. But me as a chivalrous person think that men are here to serve women and men fight for women. I know a women can fight just as hard as a man, so isn't there eligibly for the draft and fighting on the front lines what you want? Is there a contradiction in feminism and chivalry?

Enlighten me. I have a open mind.

Answer 1

Oh dear God not this again. I've said it once, I'll say it again: most feminists don't care about chivalry. Are we for respect? Yes, but that respect shouldn't be granted on the basis of gender alone. It should be given to all people just because it's the nice thing to do. h**l, I open doors for everyone, I don't care if they're a man, woman, elderly person, or a child. And as for the whole military thing, one of my coworkers asked me this once. I told him look, equality means I have to give up some of the perks of being a woman, like the fact that as a woman I don't have to sign up for the draft. If it means that I'll always be guaranteed access to birth control and abortion services (hopefully I'll never need it but knowing it will always be there if I do is nice), that when I enter the workforce I won't be overlooked just because I *might* have a baby, that if I'm raped my rapist will be put in prison regardless of how much I had to drink or what I was wearing, that I will be paid equally for the same work that my male coworkers do, etc. than I don't really care if I have to sign up for the draft. I'm totally OK with it, and I think most feminists are.  

Answer 2

It is true that feminists have been lobbying to get women on the front lines for years now. Every time it comes up in the Senate the conservatives shoot it down.

Here is NOW's position on the draft:

http://www.now.org/issues/military/polic...

I do not think anyone should be drafted, I believe it is a violation of human rights, but IF men are to be drafted, women should be, as well.

Answer 3

War is a joke. Violence is man's way of 'fixing' a situation. But it solves Jack sh*t!! It is absolutely pointless - It's a result of men using violence when they can't think of any other way to deal with conflict....

I have heard some absolutely horrible stories of abuse suffered by women in the army, by men in the army... It's one thing to 'let' women in the frontline, but it's another to stop the abuse and descrimination they suffer at the hands of men who don't want women in the 'boys club'.

Answer 4

There is no real "feminist position", because there are so many different ways of looking at an issue. Personally, I would support a female draft if there is a male one, because it's my opinion that excluding us is out of the belief that weakER means WEAK. I also whole-heartedly support qualified (whatever that entails) women fighting on the front lines, if a woman wants to and is as capable as men on the line, she should be able to fight there. Anything else is sexism (the whole "damsel-in-distress" theory about that- that men will be impaired if they see a woman fall, is bullshit. Women have already been in all kinds of combat positions).

However, if a woman was pregnant I would not support her being drafted into a laborious position, obviously, so there is that one difference in how I think men and women should be treated differently- it seems obvious but it would allow women to draft doge by getting themselves pregnant, unfortunately. (But then, I guess a man could injure himself or something if he wanted too).

That all being said, I would NEVER enter the military hearing what I have about how our service women get treated.

Answer 5

Males have been traditionally in the military because males are more expendable than females. 1 male can impregnate 1000 women, while 1 woman can only give birth 40 or so times in a lifetime. While those numbers are clearly exaggerated from reality, they true. Males are less necessary for the propagation of the species...

Blame nature if you don't like it.  

Answer 6

I don't believe in the draft for anyone, period.

But for women who wanted to and did join the military, they should not be bared from the front lines.

Answer 7

(groan) For the thirtieth time and counting, YES, we do think women should be included in the draft. And I don't want any special treatment from men AT ALL.

Answer 8

I'ma  little disappointed by this question, I thought we'd hear something new, but it's just the same old thing.

In answer:

1) Where I live there is no draft and every time the citizens have had the chance to do so they have voted NOT to have conscription. I have voted NOT to have conscription. I would vote again tomorrow NOT to have conscription. For anyone, male or female.

2) I will never vote in favour of a draft for anyone, male or female. Equality does not come into it for me, because it is wrong for either male or female.

3) Women and men who wish to join the armed services and live up to their personal principles of service to their country have my full respect and admiration. If they can earn a place on the front lines, they should be able to go there if that is their wish.

4) Returned service people of both genders from all wars deserve better treatment than they ever get from the government and the people. Consider the case of Vietnam veterans denied proper health care for years so the governm,ent could 'prove' it was right to send them to Vietnam. Or those from the Korean war denied service entitlements because the government did not want to say the 'conflict' was  'war'.

When men start lobbying for fair and equitable treatment for returned service people at the exact same rate they carry on with cr@p about how glorious it is to be a soldier, you will come to understand why many feminists, myself included, have a deep distrust of our military culture and its leaders.

Cheers :-)

Answer 9

Sorry to tell you they can't fight as well as men. There trace record isn't to impressive remember Jessica Lynch she was captured with not so much as a shot fired from her. Girls if you want money for school but not prepared to serve your country an possible die. The go to the Miss America pageant stay out of the military.

They may be a few who can go pull their weight which isn't much being they usually only weight 120lbs. I still don't think they have the mentality to deal with intense combat.

Answer 10

Well if men whinge about women wanting to join the military and fight then you are saying we have no right to do so.  Therefore you are taking our freedom of choice away from us.

Answer 11

I think that highly capable women SHOULD be allowed in combat arms.  Period.  I agree that they must match the male standards, but if they match the standards then yes, they should be allowed.  In this day and age there is NO REASON for women not to be allowed in combat arms.  I've passed the PT test once or twice at the male standard but I knew women who could smoke most of the men in our platoon.  In fact, one of my friends who went into Special Forces trained regularly with one of my female friends.  They liked to challenge each other and find new ways to train harder.  

Historically, men are not the only ones to fight in the wars.  There are instances of women commanders and many many instances of women dressing up as men and fighting in combat and even earning high ranks and metals.  

While every woman may not be capable of serving on the front lines (though neither is every man), to deny us the chance is to tell us "you're less" or "you're not good enough".  It is the same fight that African Americans went through in WWII.  African American men weren't allowed in combat roles at first--only in support (they were wrongly accused of being too cowardly).  They were classified as inferior and thus not good enough to defend on the front lines.  In WWII, when the first African American combat unit landed in Europe, one soldier later reported that the ships were lined with other African-Americans in support roles that clapped and cheered these brave men that were finally able to say "I am equal and can fight and die just like any man".  

I, as a military woman, want that same right for capable military women.  I want for us to be able to say "I am equal and can fight and die just like any man".

As far as the draft (which I am against), I think that women should be forced to sign up as well.  If we all enjoy the benefits of freedom, we should all be willing to fight to preserve it.

Answer 12

Yes.

As a feminist, I believe that women should have all of the same potential rights, opportunities, responsibilities, and duties as men have.

As of right now, there is no draft ... it was illegalized after Vietnam. But if it was ever to be brought back, then it should be under the pretense of being gender-equal.

Answer 13

yes we want the oppurtunity on the front lines.

i personally want the draft taken out comnpletely. but if its gonna be one then it should be all.

as an mtf tg i want to be able to join, and fight as a woman... but they wont take me.

the dont ask dont tell policy counts alot of us out on a principle that has nothing to do with ability to perform the duties neccesary. gender and sexual discrimination within the military are great faults.

a diverse fighting unit is an advantageous one, with more to utilize, and a variety of people each equipped to handle different facets of duty.

and personally i think if we are gonna fight for freedom and claim to be a nation based around it, then our soldiers shoud be free to be all that they really can be, not just all that uncle sam approves of.

and the guy up there talking about womens size and lack of fighting abilty track record etc.... well he must not be real familiar with history, or in touch with reality so... i hope no one takes that c**p as valid argument.

and while i'm at it.... we should quit dividing sports divisions by gender. wnba? what nonsense. if youre good then youre good, the league should be coed, same with football, baseball, softball, soccer etc...

Answer 14

I am willing to accept the draft in a gesture for equality.  Though I think this war is c**p based on the news I am fed,  that is beside the point.....any protest from me will be purely political, not gender based.

Answer 15

I'm assuming you're American. Here in Canada women fight at the front lines with the men. They do it by choice and they do a good job of it too. I know there are a lot of US military women here that want that ability in their country.

Answer 16

Feminists have been trying to get women on the front lines for quite some time.  I believe that if you pass the training like everyone else, you should be given the same opportunities as everyone else.  Same goes for the draft.  I do not want to be in the military or be drafted, but my life is no more valuable than a man in my same position.  Yes, there is a conflict between feminism and chivalry.

EDIT: Elvis, I guess that means our POW "hero" Senator McCain must be a woman in disguise.  I guess that whole thing about "women drivers" carries over to piloting planes as well.  After several crashes, his dumbass got caught.  What a hero.