Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Women

No matter how many women have entered the military it remains a male dominated organization. Why? Too much to go into at this time. Living in this all male sausage fest can be a disorientating. Our medic is female, and the only female in the squad. Watching guys in this environment can be amusing, if you have a sick and twisted sense of humor. We are starved for the female of the species. There is at least two attractive females at the combat stress unit on post. It makes Doc Feelgood’s job easier to get guys to go over there.
You see changes in the soldiers TV and movie watching habits also. We still buy and watch the action flick with big stuff blowing up and a high round count and mortality rate. Then there are movies where a hot actress spends most of the time running around in tight or revealing clothing. (This is how I ended up with five seasons of Alias) But there are also an increase in ‘Chick flicks’.
I find this last trend to be the most interesting as it would seem that it is most prevalent in the younger troops. Is there a need for the softer side of life, maybe a desire to look into a world that is beyond our reach? I really don’t know. I do find that after a long chat with any of my female friends I end up thinking about them long into the next day.
I ended a long term relationship before this trip because I didn’t want the distraction. I have been through the heart aches and pains being married and deployed. This time I walked away clean. Still I find myself enjoying the long conversations with female friends about their relationships and trials. It is a world that is so alien to me as to seem almost like fiction.
The events are no different than they were back home, but I have no frame of reference. My world is so removed from dating, and all things social involving the opposite sex. Maybe it is different in some of the support units that can run up to half female. That, I have heard, brings its own issues.
Like any good grant writer I can only say that this line of thought deserves more investigation. Now if you will excuse me I need to reconsider ordering 7 seasons of Buffy.

1 comment:

bigD said...

Hi Pinball,
I guess there was a reason that someone made a male and a female of the species besides just procreation. Since males and females are wired differently both physically and hormonally, it is only natural that each would bring something different to the table and that the opposite sex might actually miss that something when all of sudden it wasn't around anymore. It is funny how we can be so different and yet, it is the intangible things that each group can bring to the table as friends, buddies and or companions that will really make or break the relationships that we have with one another. We all need to experience the softer side every now and then and if it takes a female presence to do that, then so be it.

In the meanwhile, I loved Alias...Jennifer Garner's character was a great example of a sexy, adorable, intelligent, and
woman who could kick some serious ass when needed. Who wouldn't like that girl?

Also, I would love to hear the reasons for the military remaining a male dominated organization. That is also a very interesting and complicated cultural and gender biased topic, don't you think?