I'm watching the Daily Show, and they've been showing a lot about one Presidential candidate talking about why women can't be soldiers. And more about pundits on a certain network talking about why women can't be soldiers. And I'm offended. As a woman, but also as someone who has a SO in the military and knows people, particularly men, in the military. So they really think that men in the military are such cavemen that they will either feel the need to protect the wittle wimmins, or that they are such cavemen that if women are around, the men just can't help but rape them? What decade are we in? What planet are these people on? Have they ever talked to any military men, or are they basing this on some he-man stereotype? It's not just insulting to the female members of our military, it's also insanely insulting to the male members of our military.
They were talking about a 62% increase in violent sexual offenses in the military in the last 5 years. I don't know that it's an increase in what has been happening so much as it is that women now feel safe and supported enough to report when something happens. And that's a good thing. If something like that happens to a woman, or a man who is serving our country then they should be able to report it and get all the help they need.
I just can't believe this is still a conversation that we have to have.
