A possible unintended side effect of women in combat?

[hedgehog]

Looking over the comments at various places, it occurs to me that some people ( certainly not all!) are attracted to the military as an ultimate expression of masculine heterosexuality. Actual service in the military may or may not be part of this. Just talking is a serious voice about the need to defend our freedoms is enough to confer the aura of masculinity. (see:chicken hawks). By allowing women in combat and gays in the military, we are breaking that association. Is it possible that there will be less pressure to find a war to fight? I'm not saying that leaders will not want to send women into combat; I'm saying certain leaders will no longer be able to get a vicarious thrill from being associated with the military.

[TwilightGardener]

1. I do think it ruins it for insecure men who see being a warrior as

the ultimate manly activity. So I agree with you. The chickenhawks hate seeing women serve with courage--they're already feeling a little inferior to men who served in combat, and now the ladies are out there, making them look even worse.

[DavidDvorkin]

2. That must explain why Israel has become so pacifist.

[lunatica]

9. I think women in combat in Israel is very different than women in combat

anywhere else, including the United States. Israel has always, no matter how else you feel about it, been in grave danger at all times. The United States sends troops to other parts of the world. They don't fight wars at home against Canada and Mexico with the imminent danger of being bombed at any time by jihadists or having rockets lobbed at their cities by the enemy.

It's simply not the same.

[DavidDvorkin]

11. I have defended Israel numerous times here on DU

and I'm quite aware of the danger it's constantly in from its neighbors and the need it has to defend itself.

At the same time, I hold Netanyahu and his gang in the lowest esteem. His government's actions are not limited to necessary self-defense or to the kind of limited offensive actions that self-defense often requires. The presence of women in the IDF doesn't seem to have had any effect on that.

[hollysmom]

3. Ithought you were going to say

it would force progress in tampons. like they contact lenses you can sleep in, maybe some long term tampon that would not kill you.

[lunatica]

8. Well there is a pill that gives women much fewer periods now

One every four months rather than having a period every month.

[clydefrand]

4. One side effect the enemies need to watch out for:

Have any of you ever really pissed a woman off? Now, what do you think shooting at them
is going to cause?

[RobertEarl]

5. Your Mother Wears Army Boots?

When I was a kid, that was an insult... not that I really know what it means. But in the future?

[littlemissmartypants]

6. Oh, how I dream we could pixelate that pic.

I can see where you are going with that and my hope is for the continuation of a more humanitarian trend "keeping the peace" as opposed to selling and shelling. Am I making any sense here. . .? I need a nap and that nasty man needs the black hide the eyes bar over his entire body, lengthwise.

[UTUSN]

7. My outburst for the next 6 yrs: STFU, TeaBagger Ted CRUZ!1 n/t

[DirkGently]

10. Chips away at the general knuckle-dragging mindset anyway.

Religious fundamentalism is another component of American militarism we can do without.