“How Can She Claim Equal Rights When She Doesn't Have to Do as Many Push-Ups as I Do?”

Abstract

The public arguments for and against women in the military and in combat are numerous, well-worn, and readily accessible in congressional testimony, books, and articles. But the laundry list of arguments does not necessarily tell us much about how military men actually make sense to themselves of their own experiences and opinions, or the ways that they frame their feelings about the issue. Drawing on in-depth interviews with military officers, this article describes and analyzes a dominant form in which male officers frame their opposition to women in the military, the “PT (physical training) protest,” a variant of “standards discourse.” Having different physical training standards for men and women is seen as special treatment for women, lowering standards for women, and/or evidence that women cannot cut it in the military. Although standards discourse invokes an apparently “objective” and neutral ideology that links equal status with same standards, the author shows that the discursive context in which male officers utter the PT protest reveals strong feelings of loss and anger about changes in the way the organization is gendered.

Survival in an “all boys club”: Policewomen in Serbia

“…Finally, everything is submitted to this type of structure, including masculine attitudes toward family, acquaintance relations and networks (Tomić & Spasić, 2010). The dominance of masculinity, as shown in most studies of work and professions, is a significant factor in the divided job and professional market, as well as on the concepts of "typical professions" -that is, "male" and "female" professions (Catano, 2003;Cohn, 2000;Faulkner, 2000;Frehill, 2004).…”

Complexities of culture : understanding the identity of female veterans transitioning from military to college.

“…The military does not differ from the civilian world in its marginalization of particular groups (e.g. women), but it institutionalizes and amplifies the socially prevalent attitudes and stereotypes (Cohn, 2000;Kovitz, 2000;.…”

“…Soldiering is conceptualized ideologically as opposite to female and being feminine (Cohn, 2000;Hicks, 2011). The stereotypes of femininity are associated with mothering, weakness, passivity, and submission.…”

“…The stereotypes of femininity are associated with mothering, weakness, passivity, and submission. In contrast, the stereotypes of masculinity are associated with physical strength, aggressiveness, and agency (Cohn, 2000;Hersh, 2003). Femininity within the military is highly feared because neither individual service members, nor the military, can afford to be perceived as weak by their enemies (Cohn, 2000;Kovitz, 2000;.…”

“…In contrast, the stereotypes of masculinity are associated with physical strength, aggressiveness, and agency (Cohn, 2000;Hersh, 2003). Femininity within the military is highly feared because neither individual service members, nor the military, can afford to be perceived as weak by their enemies (Cohn, 2000;Kovitz, 2000;. Females that exhibit the stereotypical characteristics of femininity are treated differently (shown low levels of respect) and considered inferior (incompetent) service members by their subordinates and superiors (Hersh, 2003).…”