Q. Are women physically and emotionally strong enough for combat?
A. Through the years, women have been told that they cannot participate in many occupations, ranging from law to medicine to engineering to construction work – because it allegedly went against the laws of nature. Today we know this is nonsense, and in fact, women are not only capable of performing the same tasks as men but often can do them as well or even better. Periodically, politicians who want to turn back the clock on women’s rights – or who want to pander to men (or women) who may feel displaced by successful women – focus on the issue of limiting women’s role in the military. It is an issue that is based on emotion rather than fact. People of either sex can be physically or psychologically strong enough for combat. Nothing about being female compromises building a strong body, having intelligence, courage, and the other emotional and mental resources that equip people to endure hardship.
Specialist in internal medicine and primary care.