Why my ladybrain should prevent my serving in a combat role

Monday, February 13, 2012
"I think that could be a very compromising situation, where people naturally may do things that may not be in the interest of the mission because of other types of emotions that are involved. It already happens, of course, with the camaraderie of men in combat, but I think it would be even more unique if women were in combat." - Rick Santorum, Cankerous Choad and anti-feminist
I have a confession to make.
Rick's absolutely correct. My ladybrain does, in fact, make me completely unsuitable for the military life: 
  • It prevented me from learning the both the technical and military skills that were required for me to be an effective Radioman.*
  • It prevented me from maintaining good order and discipline in my division.*
  • It prevented me from waking up every morning with an attitude that my current rank would be my last rank, and behaving appropriately to ensure my sailors and ship always received my best efforts.*
  • It prevented me from planning my pregnancy to ensure the needs of my family and the needs of the Navy would conflict to the smallest extent possible.*  **
  • It prevented me from making considered and defensible decisions about my sailors and my duties, even in high stress situations.*
  • It prevented me from achieving the required qualifications for my billet and rank, including the Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist.*
  • It negatively affected my male shipmates' ability to perform their duties, because they were too concerned about me, delicate flower that I am.*
I propose a scientific experiment. Let's put Rick Santorum in a cage fight with any active duty military woman who is currently serving in a combat role - any service - and see how their ladybrain affects the outcome. Yeah.  

________________
*Not intended to be a factual statement.

**Why, yes, my birth control was in fact provided and paid for by the U.S. taxpayer, the entire time I was on active duty. Horrors! Communism! Socialism! Stalinism! Violation of Freedom of Religion!

24 comments:

Random Michelle K said...

Heard something over the weekend but can't remember who said it.

Gist was that the highest valor medals in the military go to men who rescue/save other soldiers under fire, yet the right wing "fear" is that men might "protect" women in combat.

If I remember, I'll try and find the quote.

vince said...

I would pay good money to see that cage fight. Very good money.

I'd love it if the people who did/do Celebrity Death Match would do one with Santorum.

Random Michelle K said...

Found it:

"I also find it a little absurd because we reserve our nation's highest honors for troops who risk their own lives for the lives of their comrades. Why it would be a sign of valor for them to do so for their male comrades but somehow damaging to the military if they were to do so for a female comrade seems a little baffling to me."

http://www.npr.org/2012/02/12/146769119/women-allowed-closer-to-combat-many-already-there

Steve Buchheit said...

Hasn't it been a decade since we've all realized that women are serving in combat roles even if their nominal stationing isn't one that is traditionally thought of as a combat role?

Nathan said...

It already happens, of course, with the camaraderie of men in combat...

I know it may be out of context, but I choose to read this as Santorum saying that every guy in a foxhole is overcome by fits of butt-monkeyism.

"There are no atheists in foxholes and there aren't any heterosexuals either!" Obviously, the women will be completely ignored.

Warner said...

I would point out that Mr. Sweater Vest had never served in the military, I suspect you do not need to limit his opponents to those in a combat role.

Gristle McThornbody said...

Warner makes a good point. I've never served, I've got a few years on him and he must have 100 pounds on me, and yet I believe even I could turn him into a frothy, bloody smear in a fairly short amount of time. Or have fun trying, anyway.

Alex said...

I disagree with what was said and the primary reasons given for why women should not be allowed in combat. I have always believed that women can be much more violent and capable of violence than most men, but that is a different argument. :)
That being said, I do think there has to be careful consideration when putting women in these roles. This is not because of a sexist attitude of being incapable, but of the physical attributes. I want a woman who can pass the exact same physical requirements as her mail counterparts. There should not be 1 physical limit for women while another for men. She needs to be able to cart the male counterpart out of the line of fire just like he would for any of his counterparts. I hold this same requirement for female firefighters. If they can't carry me out of a burning building equally as well as the male version, then she should not be in that position.

Beatrice Desper said...

I'm glad you put the asteriks in. Somebody might have been confused.

Dr. Phil (Physics) said...

I weigh over 400 lbs. I do not assume that any one single firefighter can pull me out of a building. On the other hand, there is such a thing as teamwork, something that firefighters, cops and soldiers & sailors & Marines seem to spend some time working on.

Assuming a one-size-fits-all model for requirements inevitably cheats you out of some great material. Not saying there shouldn't be limits, but this one vis-a-vis women serving, isn't the automatically valid point that many assume it is.

Dr. Phil

Janiece said...

Physical requirements to perform a specific job title are not the issue here. Standards are standards. The issue is the unsubstantiated idea that women and men are emotionally incapable of serving together in dangerous pursuits. It's fucking insulting, and not just to the women.

Nathan said...

If I have to go into combat, I'm doing it with Dr. Phil. I plan to hide behind him. (No butt-monkeyism required.)

P.S. I'll be glad to bring a portable gantry cuz I'm helpful that way.

Nathan said...

P.P.S. If he falls on me, I'm sooooo not talking to him anymore.

Dr. Phil (Physics) said...

Well, I'll remember to bring my cane -- I can be a little unsteady with the compressed nerve in my leg acting up. As for falling on you, how bony are you?

Dr. Phil

Nathan said...

This bony?

Janiece said...

Nathan, what the Hell is that in your hair?

Nathan said...

Eroded concrete yarmulke?

Laura = ^.^ = said...

Well said.

Janiece said...

Welcome, Laura, and thanks.

mom in northern said...

I can just picture you and Lisa in the front row of such a duel....

Matt said...

I think I might be one of the only regular commentators to have actually seen the resident Hot Chick at work in uniform, so I'm gonna throw my two pennies in:

Janiece was good enough at being a Senior NCO that some choice epithets were bandied about behind her back and to her face . . . to wit: Hard Ass, ball breaker, bitch, SOB, etc. The big difference then was, when Sailors called male NCO's these things, it was seen as at least a partial compliment. A testament to their toughness and ability to lead, if you will. To call a female these things was an insult plain and simple with none of the admiration given to male NCO's attached.

Janiece was such a poor example of a leader that she shrugged all of that off with no excess emoting, got the job done well enough to be ranked at the top of her peer group and make one of the most treacherous leaps on the rank ladder at a very young age indeed (which garnered yet more sexist insults for her to ignore).

In yet another example of her terrible military aptitude, she fostered a situation that I have long thought the one true litmus test of a good leader: The crap sailors that worked for her hated her guts and the good sailors that worked for her would have run head first through a bulkhead, no questions asked, if she had directed it.

I'll take ladybrain over no brain any day.

Janiece said...

That's why Matt's my favorite. In spite of his making me blush.

Dana Teel said...

My concern for the gender comes into play when I consider the potential abuse they might suffer as POWs, especially with an opponent like the ones we face now that view women as little more than objects to be used at their discretion. After serving for 20 years in the Navy, I’ve worked with and for women. I hadn’t noticed that they are any different than men in that some are assholes and some are not. I don’t have an issue with women in combat; I feel that they should be allowed the same opportunities as their male counterparts with no exceptions. Of course that means that they have to accept the same dangers and consequences. It pains me to no end to see our soldiers return with mangled minds and bodies. Somehow the hurt just seems more pungent when it’s on a young woman, but then again that’s probably just my gender bias at work. Really I do try to keep it under control, but there’s some things that just have to be accepted for what they are.

Janiece said...

Dana, men can be (and are) raped while in a POW status.

And I'll give you points for recognizing your bias - that's a lot further than most some people get.