This week's hot debate is women in combat, while some are applauding this equal opportunity endeavor, I for one am booing it! Yes I'm a woman and by definition a minority woman and one would think that anything that results in equality would be in agreement with me. However, it couldn't be far from the truth in this particular aspect, Private Benjamin this is not!While I understand the need for equality, I do believe that there are some things that are just unequal and should remain as such. Although some things are unequal they are actually equally balanced. OK, yes I know conundrum here, what the heck is Blacktina saying?? Here's my perspective, we all have a place in this world, society whatever spectrum you want to categorized yourself in and sometimes our place is defined by intellect, emotion and physicality.
No one can ever argue the battle of intelligence between the genders, actually I truly believe none really exists, except in the Patriarch law in which men are paid more than women. This law stemmed from a period in which men were the dominant bread winners of the family and hence had to be paid more. As we all know this now archaic law is being defied by our current administration and hopefully men and women will be compensated based on skill and experience and not what's between their legs!
Let's talk about emotion for a minute. If you ever watched the Notebook, Steel Magnolias or Terms of Endearment chances are if you're a woman and you cried. Here's another observation, if your boss pissed you off at work and you ran into the bathroom to cry it out or you went home and bitched to your family, chances are you're a woman. Point here I'm trying to make is in combat there is no crying, maybe a tear or two, but its about shooting, protecting your life and those around you. Being a woman and maybe I speak for myself we are wired to feel, to nurture, to help, to feel compassion, to absorb loss. Our emotions to say the least are roller coaster driven. I once had male gay friend who explained to me why gay men are promiscuous (yet safe). His rationale was when it comes to sex they view it for the most part as a physical act; women get all caught up cause we view it as an emotional attachment. Unless you're a prostitute this is true! Considering emotions coupled with murderous, heinous acts, is combat really a place for a woman? The emotions I've just described are not a bad thing, in fact we need more in this society, hence our place. It is not wrong to be the gender of comfort during catastrophe.
Lastly and this is the big one, physicality. There's a reason why competitive sports are gender based. By nature whether we want to hear it or not men are stronger. Just ask the millions of women that have been beaten by their husbands despite any attempts of defense. Call Tina Turner she'll tell you the truth! While I'm not trying to mock domestic violence I am trying to bring out a point, physicality has no argument here, by default nature driven this is a man's dominance; I for one do not have a problem with it. Let's face it how many women enjoy when their boyfriend/husband or whatever man is in your life changes a tire, moves a piece of furniture, builds you a fence, carries in heavy groceries, easily opens up that jar of whatever the hell is stuck, builds the bike for the kids at Christmas and oh offers to drive those 10 hours! I personally love the last one :). I have never in my life heard a woman say stop it Mike, I'll do it. If you have then you are bullshitting and you just made yourself work harder than you should of. Apparently intellect wasn't being exercised at that junction.
Some may view my opinion as being sexist but that's actually far from the truth. I'm in the opinion of placement and balance. Just like my husband can do things physically that I can't nor want to try, I can do things he can't like, nurturing, making sound decisions, and giving directions (those 10 hour drives come with a price, lol). I don't resent this part of me as a woman, I love this is how God has made me and I love how he/she made my husband. While I am a proponent of equality and I am equally supportive of balance and women in combat defies balance. To quote 1970s goddess Farrah Fawcett "God made man stronger but not necessarily more intelligent. He gave women intuition and femininity. And, used properly, that combination easily jumbles the brain of any man I’ve ever met.” As we continue to strive for equality, let's strive to be equal in ways that we are defined for. I applaud the women's movement, there's no way I would ever take it back. Like many other women I benefited greatly. However, some things I just have to think twice, I mean what's next genetically engineered penises. The chalk line needs to be drawn at some point, I rather use the chalk in this instance of balance than to use it to outline my sisters dead body in combat who might have been physically or emotionally drain to fight out a war.
Peace Out,
Blacktina
