Feminism is a stigmatized term that pops up in the BIC and in life every so often, and as I will be utilizing this term throughout this article, I would like to set the record straight. The sophomores received a great lecture last week concerning the rise of feminism during the Enlightenment, but the definition of the actual term “feminism” was overlooked.
Feminism is the belief that men and women are equal and, furthermore, that this equality should be represented on a global level through legislation, salaries, and general societal interaction. I believe that if both my mother and father were to work at 7/11 as cashiers, then they should be paid the same salary (though hopefully they would rake in some sufficient bonuses so I could go to Baylor). I am male. I am a feminist. If you agree with the above statement, then you are too.
The issue of feminism has flared up recently in regard to the Marine Corps’ intention to persistently fight against the Obama administration’s order that women be effectively integrated into all combat positions by 2016 (unless the military asks for certain exemptions for specific taskforces). While the Marines submitted the results of a 36 million dollar, nine month study which concluded that inter-gendered combat groups do not perform as well as their all-male counterparts, the Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, dismissed the results and the study as a whole on account of gender-based bias.
According to Mr. Mabus, “My belief is you set gender-neutral standards related to the job Marines have to do, and you adhere to them. It doesn’t matter whether the Marines who meet those standards are male or female.”
The common argument against integration of women into Marine combat units relies on the belief that the presence of women in combat will undermine the general morale, fellowship, and overall killing power of the unit in question.
Mabus argues, however, “That is almost exactly the same argument made against ending racial segregation in the military, and the ban on gays – that it will ruin morale. And it just isn’t true. We’ve seen that.”
Since 2013, over 11,000 combat positions in the Marines which were previously closed to women have been opened, while 22,000 remained closed.
This issue has yet to be resolved, but can history offer us any answers in the meantime? Fortunately for Mabus, there are dozens upon dozens of historic examples of women in ancient warfare. But for the sake of time and word count, I will only mention a few.
Surprisingly, the ancient Spartans, though not exactly known for their “open-mindedness,” are cited by noted historians on multiple occasions in their employment of female soldiers. For instance, when Pyrrhus of Epirus (whose infamous military exploits resulted in the term “Pyrrhic Victory”) besieged Sparta itself, a Spartan princess named Chelidonis rallied a group of female warriors who aided in the defense of Sparta’s walls. Plutarch writes that the walls likely would have fallen without Chelidonis’ support; she who wore a noose around her neck while she fought – representing her intent to never be captured.
There are ancient cultures who went beyond individual units of female warriors, however, such as the Lusitani, an ancient Iberian tribe based out of the southwestern portion of modern Spain who tangled with the two largest empires of the time, Rome and Carthage.
According to the Roman general Sextus Junius Brutus, the female warriors within the completely gender-integrated forces of the Lusitani were, “Fighting and perishing in company with the men with such bravery that they uttered no cry even in the midst of slaughter – bearing arms with the men, never turning, never showing their backs, or uttering a cry.”
If a person, male or female, wants to defend his or her country, he or she should be allowed to do so. As long as that person meets the standards as set by the military, he or she should be allowed to become a patriot. I mean if the Spartans didn’t think it was too racy for women to fight alongside men, is it really too outrageous for modern America?
Further reading on the ancient warrior women:
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0230&redirect=true
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Pyrrhus*.html
http://www.websfor.org/alexander/polyaenus/polyaenus5.asp
http://www.attalus.org/translate/polyaenus8B.html#27.1
Further reading on marines fighting gender integration:
Lee Shaw is a sophomore BIC student majoring in professional writing and the current editor of the QuickBIC.