Debates discussion

No clue what folder this should go in. It's mostly under politics (I thought)

That fits best, yeah

Kk

I think that if a woman is willing and can meet all of the standards, then sure. If she wants to serve her country that way, then by all means let her. What I would have qualms with is if they were drafted. Women should not be required to join the military unless every single able-bodied man of age has already entered.

Okay, so my mom is against women joining the draft, but I'm on the fence. I used too but now IDK.
One reason I'm on the fence is that I feel like training really toughens you up and that will prepare the women who aren't necessarily into military training for combat or nursing, however, I'm the type of girl who can easily see myself in the military and has considered joining it, but my mom made some fair points like can you imagine a girly-girl type going to BootCamp and ultimately failing it and getting sent home which ends up wasting our taxpayer's money?
I'm kinda thinking of an optional draft, where you can draft yourself if you want once your 18 or you don't.

I think it's perfectly fine either way. We're not obligated, by no means, but I'll sure respect a girl who enlists.

I don't think women should be drafted as that would indeed include the girly girl. And well you are putting the future of your nation on the line for a single war.

That being said, I don't think there is any problem with women in the military. I have heard some disturbing reports though that some special operations units have lowered standards to allow women into the unit. I personally think we should not lower any standard and allow them to try, if they make it then sure.

I think it's perfectly fine for women to be in the military. It's honorable to serve for one's country, and if women want to do that, then go ahead.
But, like Isabelle said, they should not be required to join unless all the applicable men have been entered already.

I agree with y'all. I've actually considered enlisting multiple times. I'm also the polar opposite of a girly girl. I would climb a mountain before you ever saw me wearing a dress. I also think weapons are cool and I really admire people who fight for my country. So from that point of view, I definitely think women should be allowed to join the military. I also think that a draft for women would be just about the perfect way to weaken our country. Besides the aggressive, athletic women (of whom I am one), there are tons and tons of women who refuse to do athletic things at all. What would happen if we forced them to join the military?

What would happen if a woman and her husband were both drafted? What would happen to their children? Or what if a pregnant woman was drafted?

That's an amazing point Kaylee...

Thank you.

Rose (AKA the crazy weird redhead) wrote: "Okay, so my mom is against women joining the draft, but I'm on the fence. I used too but now IDK.
One reason I'm on the fence is that I feel like training really toughens you up and that will prep..."

Yep! Optional draft is the most radical stance on this I would take.

Book wrote: "What would happen if a woman and her husband were both drafted? What would happen to their children? Or what if a pregnant woman was drafted?"

I don't think you can be in the military if your pregnant!!

True true. I have no idea, but that makes sense.

I mean, I think they'd exclude pregnant women and mothers from the military, but what about all the single women who just aren't the athletic type? What would we do with all the females who simply aren't strong enough to hold up under that kind of pressure?

Denali wrote: "I mean, I think they'd exclude pregnant women and mothers from the military, but what about all the single women who just aren't the athletic type? What would we do with all the females who simply ..."

You have to make it through boot camp to be in the military

Well in Israel, EVERYONE and I mean EVERYONE!!!! Has to do at least 2 years in the Military. And I have no thought on this subject just thought that was an interesting fact

These do be great points.

Denali wrote: "I mean, I think they'd exclude pregnant women and mothers from the military, but what about all the single women who just aren't the athletic type? What would we do with all the females who simply ..."

Yeah, and physically speaking, women are simply built differently than men. That's not to say women are weak or not capable, but males are often bigger and stronger and their muscles are way different from females. Women are more agile and lithe in general, but in combat, it would be quite an unfair match. Women can totally join the military if they'd like to, but it should be of their own free will.

Yes, and should be held to the same standards as everyone else

~Snow Lily~ ~Slight Hiatus~ ~Happy Holidays Y'all~ wrote: "No One should be in the military if they don't want to"

Amen!

Also, Snow Lily, I thought you were like twenty or something! XD But in the video you're definitely much younger!

~Snow Lily~ ~Slight Hiatus~ ~Happy Holidays Y'all~ wrote: "What video....."

Haha I thought you posted a video of yourself on here? I was just going through the past comments from before

~Snow Lily~ ~Slight Hiatus~ ~Happy Holidays Y'all~ wrote: "Oh I aint 20"

Oh lol you're probably like my sister's age :)

I'd be, in the words of my older sister, big mad lol

~Snow Lily~ ~Slight Hiatus~ ~Happy Holidays Y'all~ wrote: "XDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Well I am mature for my age."

Yeah, I bet! <3

I don't think I would survive boot camp. I'm not cut out for the military life style.

Carsie wrote: "I'm currently imagining myself going through boot camp and wondering if I'd survive🤣🤣
I honestly don't know how I'd do.
My mom was rlly surprised when her sister joined the military, seeing as she..."

Haha I wouldn't survive if I went in right now. ig if we put ourselves to it and trained hard before going to boot camp, we'd be okay!

I did hear somewhere you're not allowed to bring toilet paper or anything in. Am I right about that?

Oh, yeah, everything's confiscated lol

Lilyyy wrote: "Carsie wrote: "I'm currently imagining myself going through boot camp and wondering if I'd survive🤣🤣
I honestly don't know how I'd do.
My mom was rlly surprised when her sister joined the military..."

Yeah, totally! *unwraps another piece of chocolate* Totally!

That would hurt

I would totally go in to the military if I didn't have so many health issues!!!!!!!!!!!!!

See, and I think I might although I also wouldn't mind just hanging in the US with some bows and arrows and going on the occasional hunting trip lol

Denali wrote: "See, and I think I might although I also wouldn't mind just hanging in the US with some bows and arrows and going on the occasional hunting trip lol"

Haha ikr

Okay, so I’ve recently changed my mind on this. I don’t think women should be drafted. It would get too sticky. Like, should a mother go if her husband is a stay-at-home dad? And what about the dudes who pretend they’re women? How would that make barracks safe? Would women be required to cut their hair and go without makeup(cause we all know how that would go over)? What about a woman with no children of her own who does foster care? What if she is in the process of adoption? What if she cares for elderly parents? I know very little about the military or how things work, but it just seems like it would be a big fat mess.

I think women can get into military, given, she meets all the standards to get through the bootcamp. And in no condition just for the sake of female candidate enlistments should the requirement bars go down. Besides, military doesn't just include roles in combat. Other roles are just as important as any (Information technology specialist, supply chain specialist, Technical security threat intelligence officers etc).

As for combat roles in military, women does have weaker upper body strength, but not everybody have the same body build, some naturally are more athletic than others (hard work sure does play a role), meaning, it will be foolish to discard potential talents just because of gender.

Its just like any other field, you can't force a natural born singer to a field like literature (some people can be good in both, but i am trying to highlight that humans often perform better in field their ability and personality align in). Some people can have body build of a soldier but might not be the best mathematician.

Conclusion: Women should be allowed to enlist in military if they meet the required standards.

I don’t personally agree with the draft for either men or women, but i do think women should be allowed to serve in the military if they want to. As long as they pass the standard physical requirements, I don’t see why they couldn’t be.

Yeah, I don't think anyone here believes no woman should serve in the military, right? Most people are just against drafts for women.

Yeah it also seems everyone is also against lowering standards for women as well. I guess I could play some devil’s advocate for if we want more of a debate.

I know off the top of my head a few arguments that are made when people are against women in the military.

1. No woman on her own merits and strength have ever made it into an elite unit in western militaries. There has been a few honorary members that are women but non that have served in combat. IE navy seals, green barrette, SAS, GIGN. This is because the standards are just too high for women to realistically meet consistently

2. Women have more empathy and are less disposable then men. In a split moment decision of neutralizing a threat before it goes off. Women will hesitate more often and give more empathy on average. Where every second counts.

3. Women complicate the military work place. The military in combat areas are dominated by18 to early 20’s young men. And these men are very immature. So this could be subjecting women to an unsafe environment.

Again I don’t believe these. But this what I have heard from those against women in the military.

Mm, interesting points!

Oh another one I remember is that most women can’t carry a wounded male. So in combat she can’t carry her comrade to safety

Austin wrote: "Oh another one I remember is that most women can’t carry a wounded male. So in combat she can’t carry her comrade to safety"

I mean, I've never been in that situation, but there's plenty of women who are taller/bigger than average, right?

I’ve heard it has to do with women having less upper body strength. They need to carry like 300 lbs at least over their shoulders for a while. Which I’ve heard is something most women can’t do.

Austin wrote: "I’ve heard it has to do with women having less upper body strength. They need to carry like 300 lbs at least over their shoulders for a while. Which I’ve heard is something most women can’t do."

Oh, got it.

Mm, good point! And honestly, it's not like women can't pass basic training and keep up in the military. You just need to be a strong woman, just like you need to be a strong man to pass, too. I get the two genders are built differently, but it's still completely do-able for women who do want to serve.

^^^^^^^^
Exactly, Lilyyy!
The previous commenter’s sentence “Our military shouldn’t be dumbed down and made weaker just so women can be mixed in” is rather offensive, there are so many able-bodied and strong women willing to serve, in contrast, i might add, to the many men who are very physically unfit in America (and would still probably be included in a draft).
Women as a gender may be built differently, but you can’t really make a generalization like that when there are tests that all military members must pass to be part of the armed forces. If women can pass those, why shouldn’t they be allowed in? Don’t make the assumption that the military is weaker if women are allowed in. And women aren’t just around to have children. Duh. This is not the Middle Ages.
If I make make a point, the world is overpopulated anyway, so if a women’s chosen career prevents her for a time from having kids, and she’s fine with it, more power to her. I really admire women who serve in the military and the stereotypes and barriers they are shattering to protect us, they’re such an inspiration!!

So I’m just gonna say that the world is not overpopulated and we are actually in a population bubble in the west. Every industrialized nation in the world is actually experiencing dramatic population decline. We are living now in the time with the most amount of people there ever will be alive at once. Birth rates are not at replacement levels even in China.

The problem is that too many women are picking jobs over having a home life. So all populations around the world except in India, Africa and South America are in the decline. It will be dramatic when the next generation comes of age to repopulate.

Actually, the UN has estimated that population growth will be about 9.2 billion by 2050. Growth in and of itself is not necessarily bad, but the fact that so many natural resources are rapidly running out makes supporting so many people an infeasibility if humanity continues to use unsustainable materials. So if we continue to use up so many resources supporting a larger population very well could become a problem. I probably should have phrased “overpopulation” differently, I meant that more people use more resources so imho it’s more ecologically responsible to have fewer/no children. (I’ll probably think of more things to say later but I have a hard time getting my thoughts typed out without being super tangential lol 😅)