Gender, Feminism, and Military Effectiveness

Women, Peace, and Security in Professional Military Education

“…In the most basic terms, an effective military succeeds by performing the tasks its political leadership asks of it. 121 According to the Joint Operations, Joint Publication (JP) 3-0, effective operations require an understanding of the multidimensional battlespace, including the "interrelationship of the informational, physical, and human aspects that are shared by the OE [operational environment] and information environment." 122 There is evidence that incorporating a gender perspective in operations in Afghanistan contributed to improving the effectiveness of ground combat and Special Operations Forces (SOF) missions.…”

“…This dynamic nests with Connell's assertion that the struggle for hegemony or dominance is the true harm of hegemonic masculinities as it can lead to the aggressive behaviors the FHIRC witnessed in the group interviews. 121 Further, many men publicly expressing the belief that women need to assimilate to the male-dominated culture indicates that the men believe women need to play along with the cultural rituals and norms of the boys club or social conditions of hegemonic masculinity. Consciously or unconsciously, this type of behavior sends the message that if women want to be a part of the team, they must tolerate problematic norms and behaviors within the culture and even sexual harassment and assault.…”

“…States that foster gender perspectives highlight the importance of gender equality to facilitate state security. 121 The reconstruction of Afghanistan has been predicated on a political peace settlement with the Taliban and reduced military operations. For the peace settlement to be effective and sustainable, Afghan women and the preservation of their rights must be centered.…”

“…Report of the Fort Hood Independent Review Committee, 41 121. Connell and Messerschmidt, "Hegemonic Masculinity," 834 122.…”

Key Concepts in Gender Analysis – A Military Gender Perspective

“…It is clear that there is growing pressure in military organizations and in military operations to consider in a new gender perspective. The goal is to ensure that the rights of men women, be they civilian or military, are respected in the performance of their duties (Egnell, Hojem & Berts, 2014).…”