Right behind you Ammonite...

Poirot:”It's interesting that we seem to be swapping gender roles to prove something.”

Wiki: Women in the military have a history that extends over 4,000 years into the past, throughout a vast number of cultures and nations. Women have played many roles in the military, from ancient warrior women, to the women currently serving in conflicts.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_women_in_ancient_warfare

At least four thousand years gentlemen, that’s a hell of a role swap.

And more interesting:

“when we deliberately change sex-role behavior -- say, men become more nurturing or women more aggressive -- our hormones and even our brains respond by changing, too.”
http://www.medicaleducationonline.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=46&Itemid=69

Jewely and Ammonite,

Obviously women have participated in a warrior capacity throughout the ages, however, the history of mankind does not support the proposition that women as a gender were represented to any great degree in campaigns.

Your examples are of isolated leadership and other rallying roles, but these are reasonably rare in the annals of military campaigns.

Btw, I couldn't give a toss whether a woman chooses to enter the armed forces as a foot soldier - I'm more interested in the phenomenon. (I've met some great male nurses too - and single dad's who are wonderful nurturers).

Poirot

Pleased to hear ya. Gender doesn't define abilities.

Jewely

No, you go first.

Cheers All

There is an aged old euphoric dictum which says: " The only females who enlist in the Armed Services today, are Bitches, Butch's, dykes, whores, and slobbering romantics looking for a husband to pay the Bills ".

How any Parent in this age of Enlightenment, prosperity and opportunity, can condone and abet their siblings enlisting in the ADF & ADFA, is beyond reasonable comprehension. Especially, as the " Skype Affair " scuttles any credibility in our bone-head, ADF honcho's, who hold their lives to ransom, in their: blokey, testosterone charged, misogynist, juvenile, boozy-filled, homophobic, opaque Faulty-Towers environment ? Indeed.

That poor cadet Kate became the latest sex victim caught on cctv, became Oz's first Camilla-Gate, in all it's colorful, squalid buffoonery.

America"s DADT ( don't ask,don't tell ) Act, hasn't imploded on us yet. Only, because our Services transparency is verboten, and the fags / dykes are tolerated, provided they keep it discreet. So horrendously prevalent is it in the Marine Corps, Navy and at West Point, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are egregiously dismayed.

Defence Minister Smith, undoubtedly stirred the possum with too much agro. It will be his undoing, as any time now, Gillard will shunt him off to another Planet / Portfolio, where he can DO NO harm. The likes of another accident prone Peter Garrett ; caught up in the Whaling dispute with our largest exporter, ( as if we really cared ) and the infamous Insulation debacle !

Dalma, the thread to discuss your 'aged old euphoric dictum" is yesterday's one started by stephenlmeyer...

Even as Women, serve in most developed Countries, few are committed to battle fronts. Exposed to the fury of RPG's, EID's etc, trauma. In Vietnam, people like Little Patty, Lorraine Desmond, Denise Drysdale etc entertained and provided succor to oversexed, booze-ridden, sex starved aussie males.

In US Bagram & Kandaha AFB, porno films are regularly shown to boost morale, and is widely replicated in all Defence establishments - it's part of Military folklore and ADF culture.

In Smith's view, women will in future serve in the Special Force's, on submarines, in boiler-room 40 degree heat, in grease, paint and excreta. They will carryout all the onerous jobs hitherto been absolved from ? They will have absolute freedom in all the mess's, and can look forward to attaining four star advancement in Rank.

Of course, pregnancy, physical fitness, tatooing, unplanned abortions, showering and privacy will be up for grabs.

Trouble is, science and technology have outsmarted the Military - still engaged in class warfare, awarding tin-pot medals and spurious accolades, self promotion, and delusional third rate, borrowed equipment and armaments. None manufactured in Oz and employing dinki-di aussie tradesman, when our employment rate has skyrocketed in recent years. What a bloody shambles.

Cadet Officer Kate, should thank her lucky stars, she wasn't a spiked GHB victim, and her fantasy video clip, was not broadcast on My Face, Orkut or U Tube.

Now, wouldn't that be something ?