Question

1. Women in the military pose a threat to the ideology of gender difference. How does the military neutralize this threat?

Answer 1

The process of allowing women for “masculine” jobs have not been a linear process of progres. Rather, it has been a circular process, in which short term inclusion of women in combat roles was followed by long term exclusion and then again a short term inclusion.

Due to shortage as well as pressure by the civilian feminist groups, women were given nontraditional roles such as instructors,training commander but not combat roles. Also , when these positions are opened to women, they go through structural change for example , fieldwork and command are kept exclusive for men , thus reducing the status and prestige of the positions . Hence , Military dilutes the threat to gender differences because of women taking military jobs by changing the definitions of jobs when women enter them.