Sabrina Castenfelt ’15 is a history concentrator in Winthrop House.

A Fight for Fairness

The U.S. military has a lot to gain from allowing women to serve in combat roles. First, there is the simple truth that there are many American women who possess the strength and skills to perform at or above the level of many male soldiers. The current rules barring them on the basis of their sex alone send the message that women are inherently physically inferior to men regardless of their personal qualifications. Many have argued that there are biological differences that limit the physical capacity of women. Even if there is some evidence to these claims, which are often exaggerated, women have rights, one of which is to be assessed as individuals. Even if 99 percent of women do not meet military fitness standards, the 1percent who do should be allowed to use their abilities to serve their country.

Second, the more complete integration of women into men's units will make the military a more effective force by introducing more diverse viewpoints. Being able to tackle problems from many perspectives can be useful to the military's mission in a rapidly changing world. In Iraq, female troops have proven useful at gaining the trust of Iraqi women and children, an area in which male soldiers have failed.

This argument for the inclusion of women comes with one caveat. Women should be held to the same training standards as men. Instituting consistent rules will help male troops to trust their female comrades as equals and will ensure that the strength of the fighting force is not compromised. It is also the fairest way for the government to respect the potential of women to be just as strong as men.

Taonga Leslie ’15 is a sociology concentrator in Winthrop House.

Not Such a Sweet Girl