‘War-fighting and left-wing feminist agendas’: gender and change in the Australian Defence Force

Wadham, Ben; Bridges, Donna; Mundkur, Anuradha; Connor, James

doi:10.1080/23337486.2016.1268371

Cited by 17 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Drawing on empirical studies and literature that explore women's experiences in the military, aviation, and the skilled trades we have identified a range of strategies that can build employee and organizational resilience for women in male‐dominated work (Galea et al., 2015; Germaine et al., 2012; Gibbon, 2014; Mitchell et al., 2005; Wadham et al., 2018; Whittock, 2002). The RGI model demonstrates how organizations can build resilience and create more inclusive and equitable workplaces by changing formal organizational rules and policy, such as flexible working time and family friendly policies, championing antidiscrimination, and workplace health and safety.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Military women's ability to adequately perform their roles has traditionally been contested. The possibility that their inclusion in the organization could reduce operational effectiveness has dominated debates about gender integration in most western nations for decades (Wadham et al., 2018). Opposition to women having military roles is expressed primarily around the “inferiority of the female body, psyche, and character” (Wadham et al., 2018, p. 8).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The possibility that their inclusion in the organization could reduce operational effectiveness has dominated debates about gender integration in most western nations for decades (Wadham et al., 2018). Opposition to women having military roles is expressed primarily around the “inferiority of the female body, psyche, and character” (Wadham et al., 2018, p. 8). This is also true within the skilled trades where the work is constructed as “naturally” masculine.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Resilience for gender inclusion: Developing a model for women in male‐dominated occupations

Bridges

Wulff

Bamberry

2021

Gender Work & Organization

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What is resilience in the context of work environments where women face barriers as significant as career discrimination and harassment? In such a context, is resilience an individual responsibility? How can organizations contribute to and support employee resilience? And where is gender in this equation? This conceptual paper explores these questions using aviation, the skilled trades (i.e., carpentry, welding, plumbing) and the military as case studies to understand how gender inclusion could be better supported by resilient organizations. The barriers for women in male-dominated industries include social exclusion, marginalization, discrimination, harassment, and other forms of social closure. How these barriers can be overcome is not well understood. We argue that individual resilience plays a part in women thriving and developing enduring careers but can only occur in combination with support from gender inclusion strategies and organizational resilience. We have developed the Resilience for Gender Inclusion (RGI) model combining gender inclusion strategies with organizational resilience strategies. The RGI model demonstrates how employee and organizational resilience intersect and may lead to the transformative potential of inclusive cultures of diversity. This will improve employee wellbeing and self-efficacy and create a much needed sense of belonging and social inclusion for women in male-dominated occupations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Resilience for gender inclusion: Developing a model for women in male‐dominated occupations

Bridges

Wulff

Bamberry

2021

Gender Work & Organization

Self Cite

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“…In Johansson et al's (2020) study of forestry professionals, women reported that their skills were questioned consistently. In gender inclusion debates in the military, women's performance has been questioned, with opposition based on claims that women's inclusion will result in the erosion of operational effectiveness (Carreiras, 2006;Wadham et al, 2018;Woodward & Winter, 2007). As with the skilled trades, opposition to women having military roles is expressed primarily around the "inferiority of the female body…" (Wadham et al, 2018, p. 8).…”

Section: What Factors Support Women To Be Successful In the Skilled T...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“A trade of one's own”: The role of social and cultural capital in the success of women in male‐dominated occupations

Bridges

Bamberry

Wulff

et al. 2021

Gender Work & Organization

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The skilled trades are highly gender segregated occupations. Unsurprisingly, research about women in this male-dominated sector focuses on the various barriers to inclusion. In contrast, this article identifies factors that have contributed to women's successes. Drawing on in-depth interviews with tradeswomen, we found that the success factors for women in the skilled trades were aligned with social and cultural capital. Findings also indicate that women's success is driven by their individual attributes and resources rather than any forms of systematic support. There is limited evidence of a coordinated approach from industry and government to increase gender equity and inclusion. Success for women is, therefore, most likely to be singularly occurring, unpredictable and difficult to replicate. We use a Bourdieusian approach to understand how capital facilitates women's success and how forms of capital can be translated into measurable and repeatable strategies. We argue that capital offers women an opportunity to circumvent traditional resistance to gender inclusion because it provides cultural legitimacy. Replicating social and cultural capital through industry initiatives that are measurable and repeatable are likely to be the most constructive ways forward. We recommend a coordinated industry approach to improve diversity and inclusion in the sector.

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“…This is likely a function of body armour primarily being designed for combat soldiers. Until 2011, women in the ADF were ineligible to enlist in combat coded roles (Wadham et al, 2018 ) and therefore only men served in combat. Furthermore, women comprise only a small percentage of the soldier population in anthropometric surveys and there is a lack of breast specific measurements included in such surveys to better inform body armour designs (Edwards et al, 2014 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Torso and Breast Characteristics on the Perceived Fit of Body Armour Systems Among Female Soldiers: Implications for Body Armour Sizing and Design

Coltman

Brisbine

Molloy

et al. 2022

Front. Sports Act. Living

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This study aimed to provide normative data characterising the torsos and breasts of female soldiers and to determine which torso and breast anthropometric measurements contributed to reports of poor body armour fit. Ninety-seven female Australian Army soldiers completed a questionnaire about their experience with current-issue body armour, including perceptions of fit. Participants also attended a single testing session where we took a three-dimensional scan of their breasts and torso and collected several anthropometric measurements to characterise their torso size and shape. Sixteen of the 22 breast and torso measurements collected were significantly related to the perceived fit of current-issue body armour systems. To improve perceptions of fit for female soldiers and, in turn, reduce movement interference, discomfort, and barriers to occupational performance, future body armour systems should cater to the wide range of female breast and torso shapes and sizes.

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‘War-fighting and left-wing feminist agendas’: gender and change in the Australian Defence Force

Cited by 17 publications

References 25 publications

Resilience for gender inclusion: Developing a model for women in male‐dominated occupations

Resilience for gender inclusion: Developing a model for women in male‐dominated occupations

“A trade of one's own”: The role of social and cultural capital in the success of women in male‐dominated occupations

Effect of Torso and Breast Characteristics on the Perceived Fit of Body Armour Systems Among Female Soldiers: Implications for Body Armour Sizing and Design

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