A simple question that can be quite difficult to answer. Surprised it hasn't showed up in the forums around here, with the variety of topics available in the debate section.
I'll start by listing a few of the pros and cons of the issue, and hand the mic over to you all, so to speak, to continue the list and/or debate your pov.
Common Reasons Listed for Why Women Should Be Allowed in Combat:
1.) If a woman wants to serve her country on the front-lines, so to speak, why deny her that right?
2.) A woman in a combat zone may be able to speak to local women and children in order to collect counterinsurgency information that her male counterpart would not otherwise be able to do because of local customs. I should add that the women who perform these roles are often attached to combat units are not usually a part of them.
Common Reasons Listed for Why Women Shouldn't Be Allowed in Combat:
1.) Men are physically, on average, much stronger than women. How likely is it that a woman is capable of carrying 100+ pounds of gear while running for several miles (not to mention carrying a wounded soldier)?
2.) Women can become a distraction in a combat situation.
Just for the record, I'm talking about equal combat roles, where women and men would fight side-by-side. Unequal combat roles are a whole 'nother can of worms.
Debate away!
EDIT: Because I can't type.
Everyone deserves the right to die on the savage battlefield. Equal combat only makes sense.
I also want to note that while males on average have a larger muscular build, women on average have a higher pain tolerance.
I don't think women are going to be much of a distraction when you're in battle, I highly doubt that some dudes will have more lust than sheer adrenaline. I guess that is in battle, though I highly doubt sex is really much of a worry outside of it.
Men might be stronger on average, but that doesn't mean a woman can't be as strong as a man...
I think women and men should have the same requirements. If a woman can keep up with everything the men have to do, have at it. But I don't agree with women having lower standards. If they can't perform, it endangers everyone else.
Recently 2 women actually finished the first level of ranger school, which is the hardest school to complete. It took them a couple tries, but they did it, which is awesome. (Most men fail out also).
I pretty much agree with kaseykg.
Soldiers should follow a certain standard.
If everyone is supposed to be able to run a mile in under four minutes then that's that.
Of course, I say this as a female who is not military, authority or surgeon material.
Women, naturally, should be allowed in combat. I don't see a valid argument against that, and I'm sure most people in the society that I live in would agree.
However, standards for women should not be lower for the sake of improving the gap between genders in figures and statistics, which I fear may actually be happening.
If a woman truly cannot perform the tasks asked of them in tests and training, then that's just the way that the cookie has crumbled. Sure, a woman is at a disadvantage, but honestly? When it comes to their life and the lives of others, I don't want to have that be risked just to look more fair to outsiders focused entirely on equality in numbers.
In the long run, that's not fair to anyone, especially those whose lives may be lost by the overlooking of a requirement or two.
The United States already has the problem of overlooking poor performance within our police force. We don't need it in our military, too.
I think if women can handle it then they should be allowed to fight. If they don't pass their training then they shouldn't be in combat situations. Not all women are weak just as not all men are strong
(Copy + Pasting so I remember)
Common Reasons Listed for Why Women Shouldn't Be Allowed in Combat:
1.) Men are physically, on average, much stronger than women. How likely is it that a woman is capable of carrying 100+ pounds of gear while running for several miles (not to mention carrying a wounded soldier)?
2.) Women can become a distraction in a combat situation.
1) With the proper training, a woman can accomplish just as much as a male. Many people forget that soldiers don't just get up one day and say "Time for battle!" and are immediately ready for everything. There are years of training involved, and that could make a woman just as strong, if not stronger than men.
2) I agree. They can. If we give them classic RPG armour that's an armoured bikini, that is. If a woman is given the same armour as a man (with slight modifications to allow for a female body type), they won't be distracting. If you don't believe me, just look up "military armour". It leaves no visible feminine figure.
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