Women and the Draft

Yesterday in my constitutional law: individual rights class we discussed gender discrimination and equal protection. My professor then broached the topic of the draft, and specifically whether women should be required to register for selective service. If you are a man between the ages of 18 and 25 in the United States, then you have to register for US Selective Service, but there is no such requirement for women. My gut reaction to this question is paradoxical. First, I am thankful I don't have to register because war scares me, and second, I feel outraged that I'm not required to register. 


That being said, I firmly believe that all women in the United States between the ages a 18-25 should also be required to register for selective service. For any man or woman out there who may disagree on this, evaluate your position. What are your justifications? If you come down to them, I'm sure they're based on generalities or stereotypes of the differences between men and women. I will not deny that there are, generally, differences between men and women in regards to physical attributes and biological differences, but generalities and stereotypes should not carry laws. Jobs in the military are not restricted to only combat roles. There are diverse support roles and other things, other tasks that can be (generally) equally accomplished by both men and women. Furthermore, there are some women who are just as capable any man to perform in a combat situation. Why should the law discriminate against her just because she doesn't fit the "stereotype"? The fact is that I do not believe that there is any actual, rational, or important justification for this blatant gender discrimination. I'll attack some commonly held justifications that I found via google search.


1. Women shouldn't be drafted because they can't fill combat roles.
While I already partially responded to this, I reiterate that there are other roles in the military besides combat roles. Second, this is a stereotype perpetuated by law. Why can't they? Because the men in charge decided they cannot, because society says they cannot, because a stereotype dictates they cannot. Let's face it, combat is not good for anyone. The men who go into combat aren't all hunky dory when they return. It sucks. It's awful. And while I support the southern gentleman attitude and find it (personally) very attractive, it shouldn't control our laws. Men aren't always the saviors, they can't handle everything all the time. War is messy, and men, biologically, mentally, are just as ill-equipped as women (generally speaking) to handle this. We, as a society, should not continue to support an institution, a law that perpetuates the idea that women are weaker in every way. By saying women cannot fill combat roles we are not only saying Men are stronger, faster, and more equipped physically, but that they have the mental capacity to handle the gore, the uncomfortable truths of war. This is offensive and just untrue. Women should share in the burden of war the same as men through the draft and should have to go into combat, if they fit to (which requires individual assessment.


2. Women are physically weaker than men. They naturally have smaller builds...you have to carry a lot of battle-rattle into combat...up to 60-70lbs. 
See above. Stop STEREOTYPING. The law should be neutral. If a particular woman cannot carry the required battle-rattle, then she shouldn't go into combat. Same if a man cannot carry the equipment. Groups should be treated equally under the law. The issue is not individual performance.


3.The maternal instinct may effect decision making in a combat situation. Women are emotionally more fragile than men. 
Stereotype. "More fragile"? Bullshit. Yet again perpetuating the notion that women are the "weaker" sex and that only men can handle these situations.


4. If a woman gets pregnant she is out of commission.
So what? Okay. We'll deal with that when it occurs. It shouldn't influence the law. The law in this situation should be neutral.




5. Women aren't made for war.
No one is made for war. I believe that war is fundamentally against human nature (in the long term). No one likes war except for sociopaths and those with severe dysfunctions. To say only "women" aren't made for war is misunderstand the human person, not just women. That being said, it is the unfortunate reality that we as humans fight wars. And I believe that there are persons (not just men) that have the spirit, the courage and capacity, to be fighters.  I agree with the idea Plato had in The Republic that there are women who capable of being warriors or auxiliaries as well as men. 


Bottom line in all of this. This is about serving your country. Men and women should equally carry the burden when it is mandatory. 


(As a side note, Israeli women must enlist in conscripted service the same as men. And in ancient Ireland, Celtic women were also warriors.)


Let's cut the chauvinistic bs. People can be chauvinistic, but the law shouldn't be.