For all of those who believe in equality for both sexes, Can you answer this?

Question

Ok, feminist want equality across the board. So, do you think that all standards for services that require physical fitness test should be equal all across the board? That men and woman should have to do the same thing to get the same jobs? Example. In the Army on our physical fitness test, an 18 year old male must do this minimum: 43 push ups, 57 sit ups and run 1556, but an 18 year old female has to do 19 push ups, 57 sit ups and run 1848. So, should it be the same across the board? That would make it equal.

Answer 1

It should be the same across the board, and for the woman who said that the military is 99% brain 1% brawn, I've been in the military, and you're dead wrong.

Answer 2

Women and men has to have same rights, and same respect for their desitions. That doesn't mean are equal, but they worth the same. People are so different because we are individuals, we are not alike at all, from person to person.

Answer 3

"Whatever women do, they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult."

-- Charlotte Whitton

(feminist, mayor of Ottowa)

Answer 4

I disagree. Women should have lower standards, as long as they can attain the level of fitness necessary to accomplish their duties. Men should have to attain the level they require. The duties themselves do not have to be the same, but the opportunity for both to participate should be there equally.

Answer 5

There is a strange tendency for everyone to answer these questions as if every member of the military is "at the pointy end of the spear."  

Not so.  Military members serve as x-ray technicians and paralegals and photographers and linguists and meteorologists...and hundreds of other things where the need to do pushups is fairly rare in the performance of duties.

If you had phrased the question, "should all personnel classified to do "job x" be required to have the same physical standards," I might have been inclined to say, "yes."  But to ask if EVERYONE should have the "SAME" standards...well, clearly not.  

I prefer my Arabic linguist be proficient at Arabic...how many pushups she/he can do isn't super important to me.  I want my dental technician to know how to take an x-ray, not be able to run a 6 minute mile.

The reason for the ASVAB is to separate out the people of various aptitudes...for needed jobs.  Since some people score 98 on their AFQT and some score 30...clearly the standards aren't equal, hence the division of labor.

If you're going to haul packs and supplies and hoist litters and perform other difficult physical tasks, you should be able to perform them...period.  

Combat jobs are closed to women for more than one reason...maybe you've hit on one of them.

Answer 6

yes i think it should be the same, maybe take them and average them and make a common standard. I think there should be standards dont get me wrong, I just think they should be the same.There are men who have a hard time just like there are women that will also. Lowering too much or removing standards will result in poorer quality. If you choose to do a physical job (note i did not say mans job) then you should actually be able to do it.

Answer 7

I think women are capable of the same fitness test for men. But men would have an easier time because of the way our hormones and such help with muscle development. Theres alot of women who are more than capable of the same physical challenges that men are. Theres also alot of men who are not capable of those tests.

Answer 8

No, because its not equal once they enter the service, the woman's guns are much lighter and painted pink

Answer 9

Well, who do you want to be responsible for carrying your injured body out of a live combat zone?

A male soldier who you KNOW can do 43 pushups and run 1556? Or a female soldier who MIGHT be able to do 43 pushups and run 1556, but you only KNOW can do 19 pushups and run 1848?

ANY relevant standards for ANY legitimate job requirements must be precisely the same for men and women, that is equality for both sexes. To h**l with affirmative action, this is about a need to get the job done and get the best person for that job.

Answer 10

I believe that it should be based on body type.  While I was in the service I noticed that certain body types despite the gender were able to run faster then others while some where more apt for the push ups or sit ups.  I wonder what we were testing for?  Physical health? The capability of doing ones MOS?

Answer 11

Yes I do. I think women should have the opportunity to become cops, firefighters, etc. But we shouldn't get any special treatment - we have to be able to actually do the job, so the requirements for getting in should be exactly the same. Why would I want someone fighting in a war or fighting crime if they're not physically capable of being competent?

Answer 12

Yes, absolutely it should be the same across the board. That's what equality means. Same for everybody.

Answer 13

Yes it should be equal.

Answer 14

Absolutely.  If a female cannot endure the same physical fitness testing, then I don't believe that she can endure the physical requirements of the job.

Sadly, I believe the lessened standards for women are due to a kind of affirmative action...and that benefits no one, in the end...

Answer 15

I believe it should be the same, across the board.  And they should ALL have their heads shaved in boot camp.

Answer 16

Sigh.

As is often pointed out here, "equal" does mean "identical" and no feminist argues that we are biologically the same.

That said, the military nowadays is 99% brain and 1% brawn, so keeping women out of it because of a lack of upper body strength is self-defeating, particularly during this time of low recruitment.

I keep seeing ads on TV at night that the "army is a welcome place for mothers."

Answer 17

So according to your figures, women have to run more?  Or is that the time allowed for running?

If the army feels that their tests capture the fittest, strongest people then I am happy with that - doing push ups is generally not required in the heat of battle :-)

Answer 18

Equality is equality. You can t have it only when it suits you, like most women wants.

Answer 19

I see your point, but whether anyone likes it or not, it has been recognized now for many centuries that the female form does not have the anatomy of the male form. This includes upper body strength. A male would have greater upper body strength , as women have a higher level of breast tissue (as appose to muscle) in this area. Therefore it is unreasonable to assume that a female could do the same as a male with less muscle...

However, I note from your example that the woman is expected to run further....thereby compensating for this slight anomaly.

Answer 20

men and women are made physically different although we should be treated equal theres is no doubt men are designed stronger then women

Answer 21

Yes. And for the next five times people are going to ask this question, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

Answer 22

I believe so. I mean if you want to be equal to a man then you need to ba able to do what a man is able to do. That is what equal means right? I dont see how 43 push ups and 19 push ups are EQUAL. If you arent able to do those then you need to work harder until you can.

Answer 23

Very good point

Answer 24

How can someone who know nothing about this; tell you something that's going to make it better?

It seems that it should be equal if anything.  But, not  more running for a female.  I don't know how much more that amounts to.  But, he does have more push ups than the female.  Somehow it may be easier for a female to run more that do that many more push ups.

Maybe it's not so bad.  I'm sure they have a reason for it.

Answer 25

I think the army should evaluate what actual work each candidate can do - like demonstrate a shoulder carry of a 150 pound dummy (or live person!)  and run away from a sniper shooting at them.  

The criteria for evaluating physical fitness does not translate well to actual field activities.  The requirements are rather arbitrary.  I know a young man who wants to enlist, but they will not take him until he loses 14 pounds - as if he's not going to lose it during basic training anyway!  He's perfectly capable of passing the other requirements, he's just a little overweight.   Go figure.

Answer 26

Men are naturally stronger than women.  It's a fact.  The gov't can't change it.  The requirements need to be higher for men on physical tests.  On any mental / academic test the requirements should be the same.

Answer 27

Seems that most of the Army requirements are equal except for the push-ups. I think it should be the same across the board withou exceptions.