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THERE'S MEN, THERE'S WOMEN, AND THERE'S ME: THE ROLE AND STATUS OF. MILITARY WOMEN
In a recent study(1) I examined how military women define their roles as status as a minority group in a male- and masculine-dominant military. Minority groups have two elements: objective and subjective dimensions. Minority status (objective element) does not necessarily cause or foster minority consciousness (subjective element). Although military women have minority status (evidenced by combat exclusion laws and occupations segregation policies), do they experience minority or gender consciousness?(2) My research strongly suggests that military women lack gender consciousness. as evident in three specific areas. Military women 1) do not identify with the feminist movement; 2) do not identify with women's issues and women's groups; and 3) do not network with other military women.
A. Identification with the Feminist Movement
Clearly, these women did not identify with the feminist movement. A great majority (86 percent) emphatically said they were not feminists. They wanted the benefits of equality, but they felt no need for social change:
I'm not a feminist at all...The environment I grew up in was a very conservative, very traditional family...A feminist is someone who's very outspoken, very demanding - equal rights, equal pay, all of that. I think we've got that in the military. (Gail)(3)
Or they focused on a lifestyle to reassert values of traditional ways.
No, absolutely not! I am not a feminist. I am completely a traditionalist. "Joe" [husband] and I are equal partners, but I lean toward a traditional family life." (Michelle)
Most of these women (67 percent) commented that they agreed with some principles (e.g., equal pay, equal rights) of feminism, but did not agree with other positions:
I'm all for equal rights, but a feminist is radical in her actions, wants to separate men and women, thus alienates people. They're too radical for me. (Barbara)
They also disparaged the outspokenness of feminists:
While I believe in equal rights and opportunities, I don't like the feminists. They are too radical in action for me. They make speeches and are abrasive, and I wouldn't want to associate myself with feminists. (Kim)
And they disparaged some radical demonstrations:
I'm a feminist to some extent - equal rights, equal pay for equal work, but I'm not...