By: Cassidy Ferreira

Persuasive Paragraph

If your country was at war and loved ones were dying, would it matter whether or not a male or

female soldier was there to help you? This paragraph focuses on the struggle with gender roles that

women face with the Military Force. The main argument people have with women versus men engaging

in combat, is the biological physique of the male body. Women have a more difficult time with their

physical attributes because they are often seen as weak and in adequate compared to men. Amber Smith, a

Military Advisor stated, “Last year military leadership lifted the ban on women in combat positions like

the infantry and special operations without a clear pathway to successful integration”. Not only does this

comment shows how physical standards and equality are still a main issue of contention but it also causes

a safety hazard. Another argument that military women face, is their natural instinct to nurture and

protect. Women were made to procreate and nurture children, while men were made to hunt. Although

those were preconditioned thoughts, it is still in women’s nature to care for people. Therefore posing the

argument of if a women is in combat, will she fight and shoot others? This is a common misconception,

women and men are not just placed in the military, they must go through a series of tests, obstacles and

programs, achieve requirements and the needs to become a soldier, after all that testing, then they are

considered for the position. If a woman had problems with the aspects of being a soldier, she would’ve

dropped out of the program a long time ago. The final reason why women struggle with gender roles in

the military is because of the double standard that is in place. Many women in the military don’t want nor

envision different standards based on their gender, they want to succeed based upon quality, effort and

behavior, not to be pitied because they were given special treatment. But sadly, according to Margaret

Meille, an advocate for gender issues explains, “Military leadership is more concerned with fulfilling

quotas than meeting mission priorities”. Winning over specific parts of society that are pressing this

change without ever having any involvement with the military force, isn’t a necessity to military women.

Women who have been in the military for a while now understand the acrimony that comes with ‘equal
but distinctly different’ standards in a world that insists on equality. In conclusion, women in the military

struggle with their “inadequate” physical comparison to men, the militaries double standards and the

misconception of women’s nature.