Role of Group Affiliation and Gender on Attitudes Toward Women in the Military

Abstract

The current study examined attitudes of West Point cadets (N = 218), Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets (N = 509), and non-military-affiliated students from civilian colleges (N = 598) toward a variety of roles that women may serve in the military. Respondents were queried whether a woman "should" or "should not" serve in the following military jobs: jet fighter pilot, truck mechanic, nurse in a combat zone, typist in the Pentagon, commander of a military installation, handto-hand combat soldier, jet transport pilot, air defense gunner, and crew member on a combat ship. A metric based on a sum of approval across all jobs indicated that women were significantly more approving than men; civilian college students were more approving than ROTC cadets; and West Point cadets showed the lowest overall approval.Increasingly, women are serving their country as Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen. As of the end of Fiscal Year 2005, women comprise 15% of military

Servicewomen’s Strategies to Staying Safe During Military Service

“…It is important to recognize that power differentials embedded in gender relations present within the workplace, including the military [28], can affect women's job performances and overall health and well-being. Servicewomen exposed to violence during their military service have been shown to suffer from poor physical and emotional health [39], are at an increased risk for homelessness [18], and access mental health care services more than servicewomen without histories of violence [37].…”

U.S. Military Women and Divorce: Separating the Issues

“…Despite equal pay at equal ranks in the military, 13% of women and 2% of men reported they experienced workplace sex discrimination (Lipari et al, 2008). Furthermore, military women are not necessarily viewed as equals by their male colleagues: a recent study found Cadets and ROTC males were less approving than civilian students of women serving in military positions (Matthews, Ender, Laurence, & Rohall, 2009). Understandably, the protective benefit of work is neutralized if the quality of that job is unsatisfactory (Barnett, 2004).…”

“…Another possible hypothesis is that the military environment may be an indirect contributor to divorce statistics of its female members. Marriage is incentivized in the military and offers enticing benefits at a young age (Matthews, 2009): permission to live off-base as opposed to strict dormitories on-base, and earning more tax-free money through the "with dependents" level of Basic Allowance for Housing (Karney & Crown, 2007;Call & Teachman, 1991). For example, an enlisted member (E-3) in San Antonio, TX, may earn approximately $3528 extra annual allowance for simply being married (Department of Defense, 2009b).…”

“…Military men in general seem to be traditional in their beliefs about gender roles (Matthews et al, 2009), and if married to more traditional women, they will have support systems at home allowing them to focus on their work while their wives take care of domestic duties. This harmonious arrangement is not necessarily mirrored for military women.…”

Dinner and a Conversation: Transgender Integration at West Point and Beyond

“…Further, an estimated 15,450 transgender service members serve in the U.S. armed forces, and there are 134,350 transgender veterans. A 2008 military [29], gays and lesbians in the military [30], and transgender military service [31]. At the precipice of lifting the ban on transgender service, we undertook a qualitative study to gauge the social environment among cisgender cadets and officers regarding open transgender people in the U.S. Army.…”