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'We Have Always Fought': Challenging the 'Women, Cattle and Slaves' Narrative

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Corvus:
A well written article.

I was raised to see women as equals and powerful allies. I have been taught at times by women and have had female martial arts instructors who were easily on par with their male colleagues. A woman's wisdom and power may be different from that of a male, yet these things are most certainly no less potent.

 In the tribal context this is commonly accepted among the First Nations of North America and other places. What is unfortunate is that  over time our mainstream modern day culture has come to discount the contributions and indeed the power of the womenfolk.

In combat we are taught that it is folly to underestimate an opponent. So too is it the work of a fool to discount the powers of an ally. The women of our species can be truly powerful, beautiful and sacred...not to mention dangerous when crossed. It is time that we as a society bring that understanding more and more to light.

Ian:
My wife and I are both military helicopter pilots.  Now it's a known fact that women cannot fly as well as men, but they try, and should be given credit for their efforts.  I kid, I kid... Women in military aviation really aren't anything special, and I mean that in a good way.  They're just like everyone else in military aviation.  We don't treat them differently, they don't treat us differently.  It's always the outside that wants to single them out and treat them differently.  As an instructor pilot, some of my best students were women, some of my worst students were women, and it had nothing to do with their gender.

For example, a local news team came to our base when we were in Pensacola to do a piece on women in aviation.  They grabbed my wife and her friend to do some of the interview portions of the story.  The news people kept asking leading questions and things to basically try to get Helen and her friend to differentiate themselves from all the other pilots, like they some special breed of pilot because of their anatomy... They just kept telling the news people that there IS no difference.  We're all on the same team, and we all possess the same training and skills, we're not male pilots and female pilots, we're just pilots.  They ran the story anyway, but didn't air most of that and still put their spin on it to make it seem like there's some magical difference.

I often find that it's the people who think they're helping a cause by emphasizing those differences that really do nothing but perpetuate the problems and biases that existed in the first place.  Groups that make it a big point to emphasize when a woman or minority achieves something great are hurting not helping.  It's almost like saying the accomplishment is greater, because look, even a woman was able to do it!  Just stop thinking of people by their genders or races, accept that we're all people, and move on with your life.  Celebrate that humans have great achievements, not women vs men, or black vs white...

B. Patricius:

--- Quote from: Ian on 2013-07-03, 21:21:21 ---My wife and I are both military helicopter pilots.  Now it's a known fact that women cannot fly as well as men, but they try, and should be given credit for their efforts.  I kid, I kid... Women in military aviation really aren't anything special, and I mean that in a good way.  They're just like everyone else in military aviation.  We don't treat them differently, they don't treat us differently.  It's always the outside that wants to single them out and treat them differently.  As an instructor pilot, some of my best students were women, some of my worst students were women, and it had nothing to do with their gender.

For example, a local news team came to our base when we were in Pensacola to do a piece on women in aviation.  They grabbed my wife and her friend to do some of the interview portions of the story.  The news people kept asking leading questions and things to basically try to get Helen and her friend to differentiate themselves from all the other pilots, like they some special breed of pilot because of their anatomy... They just kept telling the news people that there IS no difference.  We're all on the same team, and we all possess the same training and skills, we're not male pilots and female pilots, we're just pilots.  They ran the story anyway, but didn't air most of that and still put their spin on it to make it seem like there's some magical difference.

I often find that it's the people who think they're helping a cause by emphasizing those differences that really do nothing but perpetuate the problems and biases that existed in the first place.  Groups that make it a big point to emphasize when a woman or minority achieves something great are hurting not helping.  It's almost like saying the accomplishment is greater, because look, even a woman was able to do it!  Just stop thinking of people by their genders or races, accept that we're all people, and move on with your life.  Celebrate that humans have great achievements, not women vs men, or black vs white...

--- End quote ---

QFT

In the Coast Guard, it's kind of cool, because we are all the same.  On my fireteam, my OIC was female.  And she rocked!  Not because she was female, but because she was an amazing leader and fine OIC that we all put our lives into her hands.  She also refused to take the easier PT test, even though it was always the bar they held her to, she continually exceeded and beat some of the guys.  She led by example.

Lord Dane:
It is quality of character that makes a person excel or fail in their efforts regardless of what it is. Gender has little prevailance in how I view this topic. I have trained many in different areas especially because training is what I do as part of my occupation. You are either capable & competent or not. You either listen & follow instructions or not. You either present & perform to expectation or not.

I make no room for exceptions in what I expect of those I instruct in my line of work. You must be able to perform & gender has no bearing on it to me. I hold 'everyone' to 'my standard', not someone else's expectations.

B. Patricius:
Very well said Lord Dane, well said indeed.

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