Do the Military Cater More Towards Men Than Women?

Military

Steihm, J.H. (1996). It's Our Military, Too! Women and the U.S. Military. Pennsylvania: Temple University Press.

This book is central to studies on gender discrimination and institutionalized sexism in the American military. Given that the Commander in Chief is an elected official, and that more than half of all voters are women, it makes sense that women should have a greater say in the organizational culture of the military. However, the organizational culture of the military is stubbornly misogynistic and shows no real signs of change in spite of great inroads being made by female combatants. Although this book was published in 1996, the themes that run through each of the essays continue to be relevant. The book addresses gender discrimination from nearly every aspect of its manifestation in the military: from differential medical care benefits to sexual harassment. Steihm (1996) shows how women can confront institutionalized sexism, overcome it, and work towards change so that female officers of the future can serve under more egalitarian conditions. Gender equality in the military will also lead to a stronger military.

2. United States Army (2012). Women in the U.S. Army. Web site: http://www.army.mil/women/

Although lacking critical inquiry and insight into the actual conditions under which female officers work, the official United States Army (2012) website should be used as a general reference. The Website reveals the military's official stance on women in the army, albeit presented in an idealistic light. In fact, what the U.S. Army Website omits from its discussion are as revealing as what it includes. While justly glorifying the service accolades of women throughout American military history, the Army makes no mention of the structural discrimination and double standards that continue to plague women -- not to mention rape and sexual harassment issues. This website is critical for inclusion in the research because it shows how the Army creates a mirage of equality and essentially denies there is a problem.

3. O'Toole, M. (2012). Unseen: Trailblazing Military Women Forced To Fight For Recognition, Equal Treatment. Huffington Post. Sept 13, 2012.

This brief article includes an anecdote about Capt. Tammy Duckworth, who was downed in a Black Hawk helicopter during combat in Iraq. A double-amputee, Duckworth laughs about the fact that her official military comfort kit included men's jockey shorts and a razor. "They just had kits for men," Duckworth says. "It never occurred to them to make kits for women." The anecdote is a powerful reminder of how the military has resisted making provisions for its female officers, who are rapidly increasing in number.

4. Katz, E. (2005). Legal Sex Discrimination Damaging Women's Careers, Coughlin Charges. Virginia Law. Retrieved online: http://www.law.virginia.edu/html/news/2005_fall/coughlin.htm

Although the author does not focus exclusively on women in the military, Katz (2005) does spend a great deal of time on the gender discrimination manifesting in the military environment. The military organization offers ample opportunities for discrimination because it is a "old boys club," and unapologetically so. Changing the organizational culture of the military is no small job, but it must happen little by little with the help of legal counsel.