Women have been fighting for complete equality for a while, now the United States wants women to fight for them. Recently the senate has voted for a bill to add women to the selective service. If this happens, how will it affect equality? Will it benefit or hurt women in the long run?
While there has not been a draft since the 1970s, it is quite curious that women are now being considered to sign up for the selective services beginning in January 2018. Which upon their 18th birthday would be required to register with the selective services, one of these many women who would have to sign up would be my little sister. Which perhaps makes the matter even more significant to me, picturing my baby sister out on the field fighting for our nation.
Having her fight on the frontline with everyone else would be difficult to see. However, many issues have not been addressed on problems women face in war in comparison to men. For instance, how would the army deal with rape in war? Or if my sister were on her menstrual cycle, would there be the necessary supplies for her there? For it is extremely difficult for men to even receive care packages and supplies during war, much less these supplies women need. There is also the question as to why draft my sister now?
Now there have been many arguments that this would bring more equality to the military by having women now being able to hold more positions in the military it is only fair for them to be a part of the draft. However, the problem with this is that in order for this argument to ring true women should also be equal on all fronts. It is one thing for a woman to volunteer for the army, and quite another to be forced to be in the army when women are not still receiving equal pay to men with the same job and education.
This concerns me that my little sister would be told she must fight for a country that she may not receive the same benefits as a man. It seems to me, in order to fully be able to make women a part of the draft the United States needs to see to it that women are considered completely equal to men.
Although women are almost seen as equals to men, there are still so many problems that women are facing that men do not have. From pay rate to paying more for regular products, like razors, to being taxed for necessary feminine products, our country makes it more difficult to be a woman. If young women, like my little sister, are going to be a part of the first women to sign up for the selective service than these issues must be addressed before they fight for our country.
