Cultural Analysis: Women in the Canadian Armed Forces

Cultural Analysis: Women in the Canadian Armed Forces

Women in the Armed Forces or in the military have been an issue of controversy over the centuries, as most of the cultures in Canada and in the world have been against the practice. In real sense, the contribution of women in the military has been influential to an extent of earning other women opportunities, recognition and respect (Bland 65). It has been noted that most combatants has been men in Canada and most cultures of the world. Women serving in the Canadian military have been controversial, and in real sense, few women have been involved in real fights. Crossing the borders to the United States civil war, it was noted that few women acted like men in combatants. A number of women have been in the battlefronts working as aids and nurses. The same concept has been noted with the Canadians (Creveld 201).

Understanding Canadian women in the armed forces is well understood after reflecting on the women in Canada in general. Since twentieth century, roles of women in the society have been changing drastically. The evolution has been contributed by the women gesture and courage in contributing positively in the economic and social aspects. In the current society, Canadian women are part of the active labor force that is paid, an indication that more than half of the Canadian women are involved in work for profit or pay (Creveld 43). An indication that the gender gap in Canada is slowly closing up, the population of women in Canada is large as compared to the male counterparts.

The wages and salaries for working women and men have been harmonized to reflect equality. Canadian women and their contribution to the society are reflected in regards to the demographics, family status, labor force, educational attainment, income levels and in direct or indirect involvement in activities related as crime both as victims and perpetrators (Bland 121). Canadian women originate from diverse backgrounds, an indication that multicultural societies characterize the twenty first century neighborhoods. Multicultural Canadian women originate from immigration, Aboriginal women, women from the minority groups, women with disabilities and senior women.

Mortality rate for men in Canada is a bit high as compared to the mortality rates of women, an indication that women live longer than their men counterparts. Senior population in Canada is less as compared to other industrialized nations. Women in the Canadian society face a number of health issues and life conditions basing on the biological circumstances and biological circumstances. The health of women is influenced by social, physical, emotion and spiritual wellbeing (Creveld 176). A number of other factors identify with education, social status, income, literacy, employment, physical environment, working conditions, coping skills, health practices, genetic factors, gender and culture.

Canadian women are getting better education than before, a model that has made them attain opportunities like in the military, gain respect and recognition. Young women are aggressive in getting education as compared to the older generations. More women in the twenty first century are accessing employed work as compared to decades before. Canadian women participation in the job market has been critical in changing the social trends in the Canadian societies. Educated women have increased their opportunities in the society, earning respect and recognition for the active contribution in the society (Harrison 103). Employment of the Canadian women has been proportional with the educational attainment of the individuals. Reflecting on the Canadian military, more and more women have enrolled as compared to decades before. Canadian women are no longer choosing work and they are taking any opportunity available with a storm.

Disturbing surveys have indicated that Canadian women in many institutions earn less as compared to their male counterparts. Lobby groups protecting the rights of women have been fighting for equal rights and earnings. The growth in the armed forces has experienced a swelling number of female members. Recruitment of females in the armed forces has been on increment than decades before (Harrison 166). Canadian women involved in higher ranks of the armed forces has been on the rise as compared to the earlier decades, which has been critical in earning women more opportunities, respect and recognition.

It has been noted that majority of the women in the Canadian armed forces are young as compared to their counterparts in the institution. Career in law enforcement was initially shunned by Canadian women decades before. The age difference among the male and female officers is expected to diminish with time as the world pushes for equality between men and women in all aspects. The same rise has been noted among government organs; an indication of leverage in the recruitment processes.

Women in the armed forces have limited roles as per the past societies, but the trends are changing in Canada as the evolution sweeps the Canadian societies. Role of Canadian women in combat has been controversial, although a number of women have managed to take roles that are active in contemporary armed forces (Bland 88).  The debate on increasing the number of women involved in the military is still ongoing, with some stakeholders supporting the move while others rejecting women.

Women in Canada started taking active duties as from the 1970s, with limited positions in combat. There are rules that limited participation of women in the Canadian armed forces, particularly among the elite teams and combats. Reflecting on the World War I, majority of the Canadian women served in support roles and as nurses (Creveld 72). In world war II,  more uniformed Canadian women were involved in the war as compared to the world war I; although in supporting roles, nursing and in clerical work. The contributions of women in the World War II made them earn respect, more opportunities and recognition.

There has been cultural and social issues in incorporating women in combats, an example is the issue of mixed-gender berthing in submarines and ships, where scientists have a strong believe that issues of hurting esprit de corps is a reality, and the trust levels among men and women are highly compromised, which contributes to low levels of unit cohesion. It is also feared that mixing men and women in the combats could contribute to sexual and romantic relationships as a way of fraternization. It is also feared that women would get pregnant as a model of avoiding combats, which would compromise teams involved in combats.

The Canadian society has issues with women being captured, tortured and possibly being sexually assaulted by the enemy combats. Some lobby groups in Canada argues that women should not be used as second class citizens in filling up military positions (Harrison 39). Islamist militants on the other side never retreat to women combats, an indication that the efficiency of combats would be compromised if Canada was to be involved in a conflict with an Islamic nation. It is also feared that including females among combats would contribute to cases of rape as part of insidious threat. Surveys indicated that women in military have a high likelihood of rape as compared to women outside the military.

Canada allowed the first women on submarines in 2000, a model that facilitated respect, recognition and opportunities for Canadian women. Social obstacles experienced in the submarines identify with facilities and accommodation, an indication that women participants makes it expensive in the system since they must be allocated special units. The Canadian society is changing the perception of women warriors and the concept is getting appreciated by the community.

More than two thousand three hundred Canadian women took active roles in the World War I, where they served at the Canadian Army Medical Corps at the overseas. In the Second World War II, more than five thousand women took an active role in overseas at the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, although at that time women were not given a chance in combat teams and in combat warships. At the Second World War, the contribution of women to the Canadian armed forces was respected, recognized and given an opportunity to serve more. This followed formation of Canadian Army Women’s Corps which worked hand in hand with Royal Canadian Air Force, which is a division for women only (Harrison 109).

More than forty five thousand Canadian women took part in World War II as support staff in driving heavy equipments, conflict resolution, clerical work, rigging parachutes, laundry duties, and telephone operators and in cooking among other duties. Korean War in 1950-1953 engaged more than five thousand Canadian women in the same capacity as in the World War II. Canadian government in 1965 responded by elevating more than one thousand, five hundred women in serving directly in the armed forces. The three branches of the armed forces since then have experienced a swearing number of women soldiers; application of the term ‘women services’ were canceled to enhance equality of men and women in the armed forces (Creveld 183).

Equal opportunities among the women and men in the armed forces were spearheaded by the Canadian government in 1970, where the Canadian government developed rules and regulations guiding on gender issues in the armed forces. Major Wendy Clay in 1974 was the first Canadian woman to have pilot’s wing in the armed forces. Reflecting on 1979-1985, role of women in the Canadian armed forces had experienced rapid expansions (Bland 22). Military colleges in Canada have encouraged more and more women to enroll in the military system. Canadian government in 1982 passed laws that ended gender discrimination in places of employment. This translated that more and more women were allowed to take part in combats among other departments in the armed forces that were restricted for men, although services of the submarines were restricted to men only.

The Canadian government in 1986 valued women contribution in the armed forces, which resulted to respect, recognition and advanced opportunities in the Canadian armed forces. The government enacted further laws; Canadian took the opportunity immediately where first Canadian women served as Brigadier-General and Infantry soldiers. Canadian Human Rights Act in 1989 appointed a tribunal that allowed women to fully integrate in the Canadian armed forces without any forms of restrictions, although submarines were out of bound for women in the next ten years.

In 2002, the Canadian government permitted women in submarines after the government purchased Victoria-Class submarine, in 2003, a Canadian woman by the name Colleen Beattie became the first Master Seaman serving in the submarine. Canadian women in the twenty first century are fully incorporated in the Canadian armed forces with a significant of them serving in the Canadian warships and in infantry units among other departments. In 2006, Captain Nichola Goddard in Afghanistan combat was the first woman in the Canadian armed forces to get killed in the line of duty.

The ‘Bro’ culture in military among the male is expected to fade away with the inclusion of women in the teams. Men while off duty engage in practices that make female members of the team uncomfortable, a practice commonly known as ‘tea bagging’ (Harrison 186). This practice is commonly carried out when the teams are not supervised; this is common in teams deployed in remote and dangerous locations like Afghanistan. Women members in the teams can consider the practice as a sexual harassment, although the practice has been standing for centuries.

Men in the military at most time feel superior to women, and doing away with this attitude is not easy, women in the military career must be prepared in dealing with this kind of challenges. A number of male in the armed forces have been found asserting that military is a male’s career and not a woman’s career, an indication that female members of the armed forces, particularly those in the combat face the challenges of getting incorporated in the forces. Times are changing and the attitude of men towards female soldiers is being accepted in the career.

Sexual assaults in the military forces are real in the world and in Canada. Troops in a number of times are involved in unwanted sexual assaults, but the circumstances force the members of the armed forces to get involved in the illegal practices. Surveys have indicated that roughly six percent of military women and roughly two percent of the military men engage in illegal sexual contacts while in the line of duty. Illegal sexual contacts in the military are high as compared to illegal sexual contacts in the outside world. The culture of the army has elements of abuse, which is at times directed at the female military members. Canadian women in the armed forces have earned respect, recognition and diverse opportunities in the armed forces (Bland 99).

A century ago, it was very difficult to find women as part of the armed forces, but the phenomenon is changing in Canada and in the whole world. Women nowadays are involved in military as a career and they fight in combat; participate in medical operations, command airstrikes and pilot fighter jets among other roles. Women in Canada and in the world have been impressive in carrying out their work as they attack enemies, rescue injured service members that are injured and as they set unheard records in races and triathlons among other activities. Women are also developing innovative ways of treating blast injuries, hence proving that their involvement in the armed forces will forever remain in the system (Creveld 54). In the twenty first century, ignoring women in the armed forces is impractical and being inconsiderate since their contributions in the armed forces has gained the respect, recognition and diverse opportunities in the armed forces.

 

 

Works Cited

Bland, Douglas L. Canada Without Armed Forces? (Defence Management). Belfast, Northern Ireland: Queens Univ School of Policy, 2004.

Creveld, Martin van. Men, Women & War: Do Women Belong in the Front Line? London: Penguin Group, 2012.

Harrison, Deborah. The First Casualty: Violence Against Women in Canadian Military Communities. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press, 2002.

 

 

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