5 AREAS WHERE GENDER DISCRIMINATION IS STILL A BARRIER IN THE MILITARY
Gender discrimination permeates all aspects of our society. Although great strides have been made over the decades, women still face multiple barriers in their fight for equitable access and comprehensive involvement within the workplace, including the U.S. military. So, what is gender discrimination? Well, some of the obstacles women face are overtly evident, such as salary disparity, while others exist as hidden barriers preventing women from advancing in rank or even continuing their active service. Because these obstacles have led to a rise in women leaving the military, it’s worth examining some of the common challenges servicewomen face more closely. Suggested read:Women Veterans Day Celebrates Strength, Sacrifice of Service Members
Areas Within the Military Where Women May Face Gender Discrimination
Since perceptions about gender discrimination can greatly impact a woman’s decision to enlist and/or remain enlisted, it’s important to know the areas within the military where discrimination tends to be more prevalent and what’s being done to combat these occurrences. How are women treated in the military? And in what areas is discrimination most prevalent? Common areas within the military where women may face discrimination include barriers to workplace advancement, lack of access to childcare services, lack of access to healthcare services, sexual harassment, and the lack of attainable leadership roles.
1. Workplace Advancement Discrepancy
Both civilian and military women face challenges regarding advancement in the workplace but for different reasons. Although the gender pay gap has narrowed, civilian women still face a substantial pay gap. On average, women employed full-time make 82 cents for every $1 that a male coworker earns. Although women and men in the military earn equal pay, the workplace gender gap can still be seen in the rate of promotion. Servicewomen face difficulties advancing in military rank, as evidenced by the comparative predominance of men in high-paying positions. In 2020, there were 76,293 male officers in the U.S. Army compared to 16,987 female officers. In the Marine Corps, there was an even greater disparity with 19,603 male officers and only 1,847 female officers. As women continue to seek advancement, their voices and actions will impact positive changes to address and rectify the advancement discrepancies their female colleagues in uniform are facing.
2. Lack of Childcare Access
Gender discrimination in the military can also be seen in the widespread lack of access to childcare. Affordable childcare is an issue affecting parents nationwide, but the problem is even more crucial for servicewomen. Many families and single moms living on military bases encounter difficulty obtaining childcare due to a lack of available facilities and necessary services. Barriers to this vital provision can lead to decreased job performance, increased emotional/physical stress, and an increase in job dissatisfaction. When childcare access is available on military bases, there simply aren’t enough spaces for all military families/servicewomen to obtain childcare. Military spouses and children are often forced to wait for prolonged time periods (six months to a year) for a slot to become available on the base. Some military base locations, such as Joint Base Langley-Eustis and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, don’t offer any childcare services at all. This leads to long wait-lists at off-base childcare locations.
3. Lack of Healthcare Access
While the Veterans Health Administration aims to ensure equitable access to healthcare services for Veterans, the system is not always successful related to services for female Veterans. This has led to increased hesitancy in women pursuing VA services. Many VA services simply don’t have the medical equipment necessary to provide basic services to women, especially related to reproductive health. As a result, female discrimination in the military sometimes goes unchecked, and female Veterans are often referred to civilian clinics. This decreases access to healthcare and increases inconvenience. While access to healthcare and services can be more difficult for servicewomen to obtain, the VA does offer exclusive support groups for women to assist Veterans who are struggling with substance abuse, PTSD, or their mental health. Despite recent adjustments to policies related to female reproductive health, there are restrictions in place that continue to hinder care for women (infertility treatments, mammograms, post-birth care) through the VA.
4. Discrimination and Sexual Harassment
Women in the U.S. military have continuously fought to break down barriers, achieve equality, and be seen on equal footing with their male counterparts. While the representation of women in the military has increased, the fight continues today as sexual harassment and sexual assaults still occur too frequently. Sexism in the military still occurs, as servicewomen are generally perceived as weaker, with an innate inability to perform strenuous tasks or maintain necessary endurance (carry heavy equipment or wounded soldiers). While women do serve in diverse positions across military branches, they are still restricted from hand-to-hand combat positions. Sexual harassment in the military occurs at an alarmingly high rate, with over 50% of servicewomen stating that they’ve experienced gender discrimination, unwanted sexual advances, or insults due to their gender. Addressing sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination isn’t straightforward, but attitudes and policies must begin to change in order to create a safer and more equitable work environment to protect the people who sacrifice their well-being for the betterment of this country.
5. Lack of Leadership Roles
Women seeking leadership positions within our society often face a double standard. If a woman displays a commanding presence, she is likely to be judged and viewed as unlikable or overly assertive. Conversely, displaying “feminine” traits (kindness, caring, and support) loses her respect as a leader. These assumptions carry over to the military, where women are drastically underrepresented in leadership positions. These gender stereotypes undermine the leadership capability of women and perpetuate the disqualification of servicewomen from higher-paying positions under false preconceptions of their characters. When a woman does obtain a leadership position, she is pressured to adapt her leadership style to be more in alignment with that of a traditional male leader. This is due to the incongruence between female qualities and the male-dominated environment. Women who actively seek leadership roles despite these obstacles are working to change the status quo for all servicewomen.
Acknowledging Gender Discrimination Can Lead to Future Changes
By acknowledging that gender inequalities within the military exist, we can refuse to accept their propagation. Gender discrimination at all levels should be rooted out to ensure a fair work environment for all members of the U.S. military. So, the question becomes how to fix gender discrimination. Breaking the silence and removing the stigma of coming forward is a good first step. Breaking the silence will help further the fight against gender inequality for men and women. This further enables direct improvements for our military members in the areas of workplace advancement, childcare availability, healthcare access, sexual harassment reduction, and leadership role availability. Although gender discrimination exists within the lives of our servicewomen, we greatly honor their sacrifice to push through these barriers and offer their lives in service to our nation. Similar read:New Study Surfaces Detailing Racial Discrimination in the Military
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