Women on the Frontline - Persuasive Essay
All’s fair in work and war
It’s an age old argument, men are all around better than women. For decades a women’s job was in the kitchen, cooking meals or taking care of the children although for most of us these views are now outdated. The army however seems to think they still apply. Looking back though history we read of Joan of Arc, the French freedom fighter and of the Sufferage movements and we see women throughout the ages were getting involved with fighting and politics of war. The argument over whether to allow women on the frontlines of warfare has been highly discussed over the past few years but still in today’s “equal society” women are not being given the same opportunities as men. Around the world, countries have already enlisted women into their ranks although several countries, including Britain still do not allow women on their frontlines. In Britain women are still excluded from primary combat. Following this line of argument this means that although women make up 12% of the armed forces and around 600 women are serving in Afganistan, none of these women are allowed to serve in the Infantry, Royal Marines, SAS or on submarines, niether are they allowed to drive tanks or minesweepers. Shocking isn’t it?
However, the idea that frontlines still exist within modern warfare is now flawed as the lines in today’s battle ground are indistinct. The existing circumstances in Iraq prove this as women are being killed in even if they are not performing ‘frontline’ duties. For example around 135 women have already been killed in Iraq while carrying out duties such as searches at checkpoints or routine raids – neither of these tasks are deemed to be frontline material – showing that women are in danger irrespective of where they are serving in the armed forces. So why then are we still not allowing women to take their rightful places among men, as surely if women are going to be in danger anyway they should be given the equal
It’s an age old argument, men are all around better than women. For decades a women’s job was in the kitchen, cooking meals or taking care of the children although for most of us these views are now outdated. The army however seems to think they still apply. Looking back though history we read of Joan of Arc, the French freedom fighter and of the Sufferage movements and we see women throughout the ages were getting involved with fighting and politics of war. The argument over whether to allow women on the frontlines of warfare has been highly discussed over the past few years but still in today’s “equal society” women are not being given the same opportunities as men. Around the world, countries have already enlisted women into their ranks although several countries, including Britain still do not allow women on their frontlines. In Britain women are still excluded from primary combat. Following this line of argument this means that although women make up 12% of the armed forces and around 600 women are serving in Afganistan, none of these women are allowed to serve in the Infantry, Royal Marines, SAS or on submarines, niether are they allowed to drive tanks or minesweepers. Shocking isn’t it?
However, the idea that frontlines still exist within modern warfare is now flawed as the lines in today’s battle ground are indistinct. The existing circumstances in Iraq prove this as women are being killed in even if they are not performing ‘frontline’ duties. For example around 135 women have already been killed in Iraq while carrying out duties such as searches at checkpoints or routine raids – neither of these tasks are deemed to be frontline material – showing that women are in danger irrespective of where they are serving in the armed forces. So why then are we still not allowing women to take their rightful places among men, as surely if women are going to be in danger anyway they should be given the equal