Women’s Gendered Work Experiences in a Hyper-Masculine Organization: Differences Between Cohorts
Women’s Gendered Work Experiences in a Hyper-Masculine Organization: Differences Between Cohorts

Author(s): Chelli Plummer
Subject(s): Gender Studies
Published by: Scientia Moralitas Research Institute
Keywords: women; millitary; mothering; equal opportunity
Summary/Abstract: In 1973 the Department of Defense (DoD) switched to an all-volunteer force (AVF), opening many opportunities for women. Prior to this, women were an inconvenience that the military was forced to deal with, utilized out of necessity but legislated out of the ranks when possible (DePauw 1981; Lazar 2006). This disdain transferred to feelings concerning military families, something the military did not want to focus on (Lazar 2016; Miller 1997; Murdoch et al. 2006). However, a change to AVF projected shortfalls in manpower that necessitated incorporating women more fully. Over the next few decades, women’s service continued to grow, as did their options (Crowley and Sandoff 2017; King 2015). In 2015, Secretary of Defense Carter set a January 1, 2016 deadline for the services to comply with his order to open all combat positions to women (Crowley and Sandoff 2017; King 2015). Today women serve fully in the military. Even as the military draws down the number of troops, women’s participation stays constant, with some branches experiencing increases in the numbers of women serving. Nonetheless, the military remains predominately masculine in both its membership and culture (Crowley and Sandoff 2017). The military and family are competing institutions and, as such, women confront contradictory expectations of the roles they play (Segal 1986). These roles elicit competing devotions which demand complete dedication. While this phenomenon is not unique to military personnel, the intensity and complexity of the demands consume the lives of female service members more than many other workers.

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