Equal Treatment for Women Soldiers

The repeal of DADT logically raises the issue of discriminatory and "separate but equal" treatment for women in the armed forces.  Having repealed DADT on the basis of a need for equality and social leveling the Congress should now be asked to justify why women generally should not be treated with equal justice.

This should be considered in two areas:

1- Limitations on service specialties.  At present the Congress has blocked women from service in the infantry, armor and special forces (MOS group 18). Should it not be the case that women who wish to serve in these specialties should be allowed to do so if they are physically capable?

2- The Department of Defense has announced that its response to the repeal of DADT will include a policy that there will be no separate facilities provided for openly gay service members.  In other words, no separate; living space, shower facilities, latrines (bathrooms), etc.  Since the provision of such separate facilities for women was predicated on the sexual attraction between heterosexual males and females, the open service of male and female homosexuals who are sexually attracted by people of their own sex should call into question the existence of any separate facilities in the military for reasons of gender difference.

The proponents of repeal have argued that military policies with regard to fraternization, assault and public sexual behavior will be sufficient to prevent misbehavior under this change. If this is true then what is the rationale for not expecting the same with regard to heterosexual relationships and facilities in the US military?  pl

Comments

[Rachel]

Females still need separate facilities to give them some measure of protection against rape. Given that closeted service members have been living with same-gender comrades for years and we have not seen any sexual attacks perpetrated by gay service members, protection is not a big issue in this case.