ObedientiaZelum said:RyaeC, I'll be candid with you.
Personally I do not like working with females in the infantry. Both for the high percent of them that I've found tried using being a female to their advantage, played the flirty flirty game, weren't up to it physically or mentally AND because of how stupid male soldiers behave and act near them. Makes me embarrassed being male.
(I'm talking from a grunt level, it seems to be different for officers).
You can say well that's the guys problem not mine, but it is. Because the infantry is a small team environment and if you're the odd one out for whatever reason than your time there is hell. You date one of the guys in your unit and as silly as it is, the guys stop seeing you as a soldier and more as a chick that corporal whoever was humping.
My personally feelings aside, from what I have witnessed women that join the infantry sooner rather than later end up leaving. They don't like it, they don't like how guys treat them, they get tired of the BS. They don't have a lot of fun. It's not fair but guys treat them differently, judge them much harsher and don't often accept them as peers or equals.
You should ask why there are not many women in the infantry. It's not that they can't do it physically, mentally or skill wise on their own, they can. It's how the pack treats you. Every little mistake a woman makes gets blown out of proportion. It's not fair and it's not cool. Sorry.
There are lots of (well quite a few) women in combat arms. Artillery. Engineers. Armored. There are very very few in the infantry.
I hope you join the
Reluctantly, I have to agree with much of what he's saying. I have had the privilege of working with some excellent female infanteers, but only a few, and fewer still stick around.
The infantry is, primarily, an alpha male environment, predominately dominant type-A personalities too. A lot of aggressive, driven young men who self-reinforce on behaviour patterns. You will put up with a LOT of shit. There will be at least a small proportion who probably won't be able to get past seeing you as a piece of meat, and who will be bad at getting the hint when rebuffed. Dating anyone at work (should that occur) will have the exact consequences ObedientiaZelum talks about. When a dude screws up, 'whatever, he screwed up'. When a woman screws up, many are quick to jump to 'What did you expect? She's a chick.' Some men simply will not accept that you could potentially be as good as them or better at the job. It's ugly and backwards, but it is what it is.
You, I'm sure, are perfectly capable of being a good soldier in the infantry. I would be surprised if after much time you'd still want to. It's a challenging enough environment for anyone. Coming into it not fitting in by default will make it still tougher, and frankly you'd be subjecting yourself to more crap than any person should have to deal with, and more than most are able to. You'll be surrounded constantly by 'guys being guys' distilled to our essence- and it often ain't pretty.
That is my opinion, and I'm sure a few folks will be along before long to jump on me (and OZ) for it. I would never recommend joining the infantry to a female friend or relative, however, and would probably speak on the matter much more candidly still than I have here.