As of last year, all combat roles opened to women, including special forces. Captain Kristen Griest and First Lieutenant Shaye Haver made history by becoming the first females to graduate from Army Ranger school (Tan). The opportunity is available for women to serve their country in combat and elite forces. Since all combat roles are open, women cannot be denied of any career they may want to pursue in the military. Due to this new opportunity for women, there is another issue that relates to the equality of women in the military. The next issue to address in America is women and the selective services.
The selective service is the requirement that all male citizens of the U. S, between ages 18 through 26, must register for in case of a possible conscription in an event of a draft (Dunn). There is currently a law in place that states women are not required to register for the selective service, however, they can volunteer. Considering that women can now join elite forces, it should be required of them to register for selective services. Registering will provide equality, more support for the country, overall it will change the views women and their roles.
The fight for equal rights among women is still going on to this day, whether it be for a paycheck or recognition. It has only been less than a hundred years since women were given the right to vote, yet there is still more to fight in terms of equality. In the view of a female university student, “Requiring females to register would serve as a powerful symbol of bridging civic and gender equality gaps” (Kong). With the openings of all combat positions to women, there is no legal argument to be made that women cannot register for the draft (Schafer).
Times are changing and laws are not up to date with society, rather they exist for the past. It is time to change the selective service act and allow women to participate in an event of a draft. If the law is not changed, there is a strong legal case ready to made for discriminatory and violates the equal protection clause of the Constitution (Barno and Bensahel). More than likely a case like that would win in the plaintiff’s favor, which would be that women should be allowed to register for the selective service.
By allowing women to register would bring equality for women. After, all women are humans, that want to be treated equally as males. Women have embraced the principle that equal rights brings equal duties (Ben-Ghiat). Women should be required to register because it is an equality issue. If men register, so should women. Women are not fragile and idiotic, women are intelligent and strong. The draft will empower women and display equality. Requiring women to register for the draft will not only provide equality but it will strengthen the nation.
By allowing women to register for the draft, the nation will strengthen and benefit from both female and male soldier. A powerful idea from an article states, “Congress should reform the draft to include women to strengthen the future conscripted force and ensure that should a global conflict occur, Americans are ready to serve” (Schafer). Including women in the selective service will guarantee that are more than enough people who are ready to serve their country if the nation undergoes wartime.
Registering women is a safe and strategic move that will strengthen the nation. Overall, allowing women will strengthen the nation because women will be at a higher and equal status as men. There would be no need to downgrade women in society if they can register for the draft. If this changed pulls through, women and men will be able to be drafted together. Requiring both genders to register reinforces a powerful and needed message of national commitment (Barno). The nation will strengthen because both genders are equal and take part in the same responsibilities.
The size in a draft would increase if women registered, thus allowing stronger military in times of need. While there are many pros for requiring women to register for the selective service, there people that strongly believe that women should not be given the duty. There are people that wish women would not advance in society and not be equal to men. People challenge the argument because they believe women are not strong enough and they do not want to allow the “weaker gender” in war, all of which is false. There is this distorted fact that women are not physically or mentally strong as men.
When men are drafted for the war, they go through bootcamp and an immense of amount of training before seeing combat. When a male soldier does not meet physical or mental standard, they are assigned another job to aid in war. If women are drafted, they will not be in the frontlines, unless, they qualify and pass training. In times of emergencies, the nation will have access to the best, talented soldiers (Kong). It is not fair or right to allow the best male soldiers to participate in a time of war and completely exclude females from it.
There are times where some of the best soldiers are found through the selective service. Without requiring women to register, it is stopping the nation from reaching its full potential to fight wars strategically and defend the country. Also, to include, people fear that women will one day have full equality to their male counterparts. There are people who fear change and the unknown. Overall, requiring women to register is symbolically powerful in that it recognizes them as citizens, that are valued and needed as much as men (Kong).
To oppose the other side, women are valuable in war and offer strategic insights that men cannot offer. Let women register for the draft. The most significant reason why women should have to register is due to the fact that views of women and their roles will change for the better. Once women can begin to register, hopefully stereotypes will be eliminated. Also, it will change the military’s attitudes and policies toward women and the force (Kong). The goal is to grant women full equality which includes rights and duties. Women will be unstoppable once they have the same responsibilities as men.
Requiring women to register for the draft will aid to change the views of women because they will be seen as equals who bear the same duties as men. There will no longer be a need to downgrade women because they will be equal in status. Women should have to bear the duty register for the draft. Once women register, it will be one step closer to full equality. Registering will break down stereotypical walls for women. The selective service will grow in numbers and provide a safer and prepared nation. The nation will strengthen due to women registering for the Selective Service.
Ultimately, the views of women will be changed. Registering for the Selective Service is a duty that an American citizen must endure, however, only males are required. The women of America are citizens as well and it is only right that they too must register. There is a need to change the views of American women because they can do anything a man can. There are people who oppose this issue, however, there is nothing to oppose because women will soon be given the requirement to register. If women can serve in any combat position, people better believe that will be allowed to register.
