Woman in the Military

I've always known that I
am a strong person.

I was raised in a household filled
with VERY strong women. I am
Puerto Rican and Italian - which
usually makes people wince
while they utter "Wow - you are
HOT BLOODED"

YEAH - I AM!

I am a hot blooded, strong,
opinionated WOMAN who is
irritated with the inequities
we endure as women in 2010.

I LOVE the fact that Kathryn
Bigelow is the first female
director to win an Oscar - but
seriously - did the Academy have
to play Helen Reddy's "I am Woman"
as she made her way to the stage...

COME ON!

I was speaking with a friend earlier
in the week - we started talking about
"The War". The conversation
took an EVIL turn when he said
women are not "allowed"
to fight on the front lines -

WHAT?
"Women are not ALLOWED to
fight on the front lines"

I got soooo annoyed we had to
change the subject but when he
left I ran to my computer to do
research because I was certain
he was wrong.

WELL, Turns out...he's right...

There are a number of reasons listed,
most are outdated and sexist:

1) if women are captured they will be
sexually abused.

2) there will be sexual tensions on
the front line and men's chivalry
will take precedence over the battle
at hand....seriously.....men don't even
open doors for us now a days....

What I found to be the most
compelling argument against women fighting
on the front lines is this:

1) Women aren't allowed to fight
on the front lines because we can't
make it through BASIC TRAINING.

Of course we can't make it through
Basic training, BASIC TRAINING
was created in a time when women didn't
even have the right to vote -
let alone enlist - so all the
regimens and training
that a soldier has to endure were all
created for MALE soldiers.

We women can not compete with the
bare strength of a man - its just
physically impossible BUT that
doesn't mean we can't be great soldiers.

I believe its time for CHANGE in the
military. I suggest that
"the powers that be"
tailor a basic training for women
so that it is comparable to the
men's training.

Lets allow women to take
their rightful place next to their fellow
soldiers - because to me once some
one enlists and dons a uniform
they ceased to be a MAN or WOMAN
and they BECOME simply
A SOLDIER.