Women have been oppressed for a very long time. I was in the military, active duty for 5 years. Towards the end of my career I got to witness first hand a woman come forth and explain the problem that she was facing, when a commanding general came to check on his troops.
Women Feel Oppressed in Military
First I need to explain that this woman was a huge success. First of all, she was a bomb technician, that is, Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD). Highly prestigious job and very few women make it. Secondly, she was incredibly successful at her unit. She had the highest PT score, and she beat all the men at the soldier of the quarter board. I’m pretty sure it was that, might have been the soldier of the month. Anyways she was incredibly intelligent and everyone acknowledge that she was a great bomb technician. She seemed to enjoy competing with the men, showing them that she was just as strong and competent as them.
So what could be wrong? No one was holding her back, she seemed to be happy and having a successful career. But when the general asked everyone if they had any complaints, things to improve upon, it all came spilling out.
She told the general that she did not feel like a woman; that she could not be a woman in that work environment. She implied that her femininity was oppressed; womanhood was being oppressed by the masculine uniform that she had on. By the masculine job that she performed. She couldn’t be the real her.
Needless to say, that ticked everyone off. If you don’t feel like a woman, don’t feel like a beautiful and delicate flower when you are wearing man’s clothes doing a man’s job with a bunch of men all day…maybe that should be a huge indicator you shouldn’t be cross dressing. We should realize that women’s beautiful and feminine nature are being oppressed and destroyed. When we stick them in the wrong environment, and expect them to be men, we are damaging their psyche!
This is an outrage against women, this is hatred and misogyny. The military oppresses women, it does not allow them to be the women that God created them to be, beautiful and delicate. Women have to be strong and masculine, to survive in the Army.
When will the hatred of women end?
Allowing women in the military is an oppressive, unnatural and an ungodly thing. We need to get our beautiful girls out of the armed services and leave the men to do the fighting.
Disciple's Perspective 
October 6th, 2013 at 11:55 pm
Although I understand that women are not given full credit in the military, but the act of war is a masculine act, which means any female combatants are involved in a masculine world. Women can succeed in the military and do quite well at it, but it will always be dominated by testosterone. Any female who cannot appreciate that fact, need only find another career. Its a fact of nature, that cannot be changed.
I also do not agree with the point you made about uniforms, seeing as they call in UNIFORM for a reason. A units strength comes with its ability to work as a team, which is emboldened by their uniformity.
I will agree however that there is room for improvement in the military, involving its female members, but the military will always oppress their femininity.
October 7th, 2013 at 1:34 am
I greatly appreciate your post my friend. In regards to uniformity, I think perhaps we might have different ideas about it. I agree that uniformity is a good and important thing in the military; it is a most necessary thing in fact. And this is exactly why I think it is a problem for women, for they must be exactly like men to the extent that it is not good for them. The uniformity itself is good, it just has bad effects.
I think perhaps I do not understand what it is you are say9ing with regards to uniformity. If you can help me to understand I would love it; I love being challenged. IN the mean time thank you for taking the time to read my blog. God bless.
October 7th, 2013 at 3:27 am
Well like I said, uniformity helps build teamwork. It’s kind of the same idea as sports teams. Their uniform gives them identity and something to be proud of but uniformity extends past the clothing. In the military everyone is trained exactly the same, so that an individual can be placed in empty positions of another unit if needed. Also this helps entire units to cooperate on tasks. There are even procedures (mostly safety) that are set by the U.N. to make it easier for different countries to operate together.
If women were trained any differently then man or dressed differently, then the entire structure the military has been built on would not work. Like I mentioned, there is room for improvement but it will never be a feminine world. Any women, who truly wants the freedom to be a women, should never join a masculine occupation. It’s nature and dare I say psychology. We evolved differently for a reason.
October 7th, 2013 at 1:20 am
This post really challenged the way I’ve been taught to look at the role of women in society. Feminism. I’ve always believed women should have the right to complete “mens jobs” or “dress like men” etc. I’ve never stopped to think maybe this isn’t having positive effects on society. In this case it seems to be that feminism is causing women to lose their femininity. What a compelling paradox. Thanks for the post! !
October 7th, 2013 at 1:30 am
You are most welcome! Thank you for reading my blog and encouraging me. It is always great to read a post like yours. God bless.
October 13th, 2013 at 2:56 pm
Amen!
Rebecca,
I agree with you here whole-heartedly! May I say, not only does it blur the lines and women began to act, dress, and took on much of the mannerisms of men but that the “salt added to the wound” is that men began to become more feminine!
Then the word, ” metro-sexual”, was invented to affirm this new style of man (and I use the term loosely). I am horrified to see a man walk into or out of a Nail Salon looking proud and pleased with himself.
Many people might think that I’m some redneck, overly masculine sexist when I say those things, but the fact is until a little over a year ago, I was gay! Truth? Even then I hated a prissy man! I was delivered by Holy God from those feeling of sexual lust and, since God delivers completely, I don’t feel that for men or women. PRAISE GOD!!
I do feel a greater love for the souls of the lost and love for my family (every person that is part of the body of Christ).
Warmest regards,
Bryan (M)
October 7th, 2013 at 2:30 am
While I agree with you that men should do the fighting, I think it’s unfair to say that the military is oppressing women. Our military is 100% voluntary, and no woman is there against her will. The military does not force anyone to join, the draft was done away with in the 70s, so no one serving now would even have been part of that.
I had a friend who was career military, retiring as a Lt. Col. She choose nursing as her profession and held on to her femininity just fine. Holding on to, or letting go of, one’s femininity is purely a personal choice. No one can make any woman feel like a man, unless she allows it. Likewise, no one can make any man feel like a woman, either.
Also, I think this woman you speak of made a huge error is judgment if she expected her feminine side to be coddled in a male environment.
Interesting post, MasonDan, thanks for sharing your thoughts. 🙂
~Ness
October 7th, 2013 at 3:20 am
First let me say thank you for taking the time to both read my article and reply to it. I always love feedback.
Secondly, your view that oppression means being forced to join is valid. Being forced to join against one’s will can be understood as oppressive, though Israel does not seem to see it that way. However, just because some one can freely join, does NOT mean that there is no oppression once one has signed the dotted line. I am not allowed to voice my opinion in the military, even though they are religious views and therefore my ‘right’. This is a form of oppression that is on inside, not the outside.
The oppression is very real I am afraid and very dangerous. It is not good to be inhibiting men’s masculinity and women’s femininity. You are correct, that the woman did make a huge error, but I wish someone would have helped her to understand the consequences and effects before she joined.
Hopefully this is something that we can become more aware of and communicate to our daughters the importance of not erasing the lines that God has made.
Thanks again, feel free to comment anytime!
Masondan
October 7th, 2013 at 10:33 am
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October 7th, 2013 at 12:49 pm
Thank you for following my blog. Your perspective is quite unique and I am following you as well. I never thought the solution to certain problems would be an exclusionary strategy. There are tons of men who would agree that women ought to stay with jobs suited to women. I am wondering however, what the women think of this opinion and why I am following.
October 7th, 2013 at 4:16 pm
Thanks for posting this. I think you have a solid point in saying that it is oppressive to women for them to be in the military. I would say that the oppression, if we trace it deeply enough, consists in failing to recognize the important function that women bring to society through femininity – which is most fully elaborated and manifested through motherhood.
All these pushes today to put women in the military, or in police work, or in aggressive/territorial sports (like soccer, football, wrestling, etc…) – or at least the push to have everyone believe that women should be just as eligible for these things as men – are born out of a cultural mentality which does not value the contribution that women bring to society through their innate femininity. The logical conclusion from such a mentality is for women to be made more like men. THAT is the real oppression of women.
October 7th, 2013 at 5:48 pm
After reading your posts, I’m a little confused by why you’re following my blog. I’m one of those scary feminist atheists who works in a male-dominated profession. After reading the blatant misogyny and sexism in your posts, I can’t say that I’ll be following yours. Reading these posts makes me so grateful that my partner in life is a REAL man – he believes in equality for women and challenges me to accomplish ALL that I am capable of, not just being a wife and mother.
October 13th, 2013 at 3:07 pm
Jenny,
May I say that while I agree with Rebecca in what she feels, I also want to be clear, that as much as I hate seeing men acting like women and vice versa, I hate to watch a movie or tv show where the female character is portrayed as this weak and feeble thing that is tossed around at some guys will!! I have a sister and 2 nieces and if they happen to get attacked I want them to lay a butt kickin ,that won’t wash off , on the man or woman that attacked them!!
I like characters like Ziva on NCIS. Girly, beautiful and able to kill with a toothpick!
Very Sincerely,
Bryan Matthews
October 8th, 2013 at 9:15 am
Interresting perspective. It reminds me of Mussolini, who said that war is to men what motherhood is to women. That sort of segragation of the genders is fascism at it’s purest form.
The trouble the woman in your anecdote was facing, was not because of her god given femininity, but rather because of the cultural model she had for femininity, that was in direct contrast to what she wanted to do and obviously was good at. Testosterone has no place on the battlefield, and I expect you know this.
October 8th, 2013 at 8:20 pm
I definitely agree on the part that joining the military is voluntary. I’ve never been in the military; however, I don’t think it oppresses women. The blog speaks of this unnamed woman who felt that way, but it doesn’t mean that other women should feel the same way. Again, it was just the way she’d seen it. I believe it’s based on their own experiences. Women have different reasons for enlisting. If they do it to become masculine, that’s their choice. Whatever the reason, it’s their choice. Men, too, have joined for different reasons. As for “leaving men to do the fighting,” I don’t think that women would lose their femininity if they were to go into battle. The military isn’t about learning to be masculine; it’s about teaching both men and women to survive in this world. In my opinion, it takes a lot of guts and sacrifice to go into battle. Still, these men and women are taking a chance, knowing that they may or may not come home. I give them a lot of credit for that.
That’s my perspective.
October 8th, 2013 at 11:13 pm
I have served with many women that were hard chargers in their uniform, but out of uniform they were beautiful creatures. They were Soldiers when wearing the uniform, then they were ladies out of the uniforms. I feel this is their choice, yes women have to be hard to survive the Army, the Army is mostly made up of men, but it is their choice to keep their feminine by what ever means they need to, if they want to feel like a lady. But by the way, right before I got off the trail our orders were to stop calling females females, and males males. Because some females were getting offended by being called a female instead of a Soldier. They told the leadership that if they are equal, why are they called females and males, its separation. New Army stuff.
October 9th, 2013 at 3:04 pm
Some women I know (my wife included) criticize feminism for the same reasons you explore here: it is an essentially anti-feminine movement. Thanks for your thoughts & for putting an often unpopular perspective out there 🙂
October 9th, 2013 at 9:22 pm
Our society, thanks to feminism, does not acknowledge the importance of motherhood. I think we need to recognize that the job done by mothers is too important to be farmed out to baby sitters.Studies have shown too much damage done to children raised by anyone but mommy. Now, I do think the benefits of the military (i.e. college) could be made available to women, but through a para-military organization with slightly different rules. Women need to be able to leave to do the more important work of mothering no matter their “enlistment time.”
For example, I have a relative who joined up right after high school. She’s a computer tech, nothing near combat. While in the military she met a nice young man and married, had two kids. Then the military sent her over seas for a year! Those babies had to do without their mamma for an entire year so she could sit in an office waiting for the local base to have a computer problem. This is NOT in the best interests of our nation, much less this family.
We talk about the sacrafice of those who serve. It’s time we recognized the sacrifice of mommy-hood as even greater.
October 9th, 2013 at 9:26 pm
You can be strong without being masculine, ya know. >_> They’re two different things
October 9th, 2013 at 10:55 pm
You are correct, there is a distinction between being masculine and being strong. But masculinity is supposed to be strong, femininity is supposed to be beautiful; but feminism has twisted our thinking so that we look down on women for not being strong like men.
This is wrong and unloving. People are foolishly and sinfully rebelling against ‘evil stereotypes’ failing to realize that God wants us to celebrate the differences between men and women, not disparage them.
October 10th, 2013 at 5:11 am
[…] This was done because of a previous article I wrote about this subject about oppression. […]