Gender Roles in the Army Essay Example

There is a widely accepted assertion that women generally lack the qualities to survive and thrive in the army, and that the presence of female soldiers in the military will also compromise the performance of the army since male soldiers tend to be over-protective of them. But the movie GI Jane fully demonstrates that the characteristics that make an individual successful in military service is gender-neutral, so these traits can be acquired and possessed regardless of the gender, and that because the instinct to protect an fellow soldier, even at the risk of his/her own life, is rooted in universal human nature, and not gender-related, females don't affect an army's performance particularly. Military has always been seen as a best test on physical strength and mental discipline of young men and women. And women have long been seen as incompetent of such deed because of their generally weaker physique determined by genetics compared to males. The physical difference between genders backed up by modern sciences are simply undeniable, however, at the meanwhile, it would be naive to consider genetic make-up the sole measure of a potential success in the army. In the movie GI Jane(1997), the main character, Jordan, is going to put through a Navy seal style training camp which has a dropping rate of 60% for men. During the training the trainees are made to accomplish challenging physical and mental tasks under the harsh conditions of constant physical discomfort, hunger and extreme fatigue. As expected, many drop out. However, not only is Jordan not disqualified or intimidated by this punishing process and throw in the white towel, but also she tops the game through her unshakable dedication and determination. She is a immense success. There should be many of her male counterparts who have great genetic advantages over her-- those who were born with more physical strength and better endurance---but during the training those advantages are all dwarfed by the hard work