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Women in security forces – debunking masculinist protection
The question of women in the armed forces has drawn excitement as well as criticism from various feminist scholars. While some argue that such inclusion invalidates the logic of masculinist protection and debunks myths of war, others contend that this does little for the cause of gender equality as it perpetuates militarization, patriarchy and war.
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Wonder women: Women of the Indonesian Air Force carry their parachutes during a military drill at Iskandar Muda air base in Blang Bintang, Banda Aceh, Aceh on Feb. 8, 2019. (AFP/Chaideer Mahyuddin)
O
ver the last two decades, many countries have taken steps to include women in the military and remove combat exclusion based on sex. For example, NATO is seeking to increase the participation of women in the organization through three principles: integration, inclusiveness and integrity. The trend is consistent with the historical participation of women in war as combatants.
The question of women in the armed forces has drawn excitement as well as criticism from various feminist scholars. While some argue that such inclusion invalidates the logic of masculinist protection and debunks myths of war, others contend that this does little for the cause of gender equality as it perpetuates militarization, patriarchy and war.
While revisiting this debate always generates useful insights to understand the major stakes and points of contestation embedded in the participation of women in the armed forces, it would be better to explore the rationales behind the inclusion of women in the armed forces and key considerations that could make their inclusion meaningful.
The inclusion of women in armed forces has been advocated for four primary reasons. Like in any sector, recruiting from 100 percent of the population pool in society can get the armed forces the most talented, committed and competent human resources. The 100 percent mobilization approach is also useful at a time when armed forces in Western countries like Australia and the United States are struggling to get recruits for the army.
The entry of the most talented, committed and qualified women in the armed forces does not just addresses the human resources shortage, it also improves the operational capabilities of the army. The nature of warfare is changing. Research shows that women possess certain skills that are vital in modern warfare. For example, women have attention to detail, which is a very useful skill for operating military drones, which has caused them to have an outsized positive impact on the drone industry.
They are also better at team-oriented skills. Women soldiers have been proven effective in counterterrorism operations.
Ending exclusion of women in military service is also associated with citizenship rights and the “right to fight”. Citizenship rights is more clearly associated with service in the security sector, particularly with military service.
