Table of Contents
For centuries, the military that is liberative instead has served as a fundamental repressing. This is not In every ceremony, training of site for the construction only important for the and reproduction of program, and practice flourishing of women— gender, intertwined who historically have been of the military there with loaded ideas of the most marginalized nationalism, power, and lies a certain gendered and silenced in political religious identity. As I and military decisionassumption that directly was sitting at an annual making—but also for men military ball as the date affects the way that war is who are bound by the of my high school friend, almost impossible standard carried out and the way that military messages rang of hyper-masculinity loud and strong, from the cultivated by the military. patriotism is portrayed. opening addresses to the prayers said before dining. Women and the Corps: I became increasingly aware of the conflicting Military Wives and “Butch” Women messages about patriotism, religious identity, and above all- gender. As I observed the military culture Military families are perhaps the most heroic and around me, I wondered not only about the lives of self-sacrificing of families—giving up holidays, the women who stood alongside their husbands/ birthdays and even births themselves so that dates, but also about the few women who stood all other families can have these cherished, in uniform among the men as fellow soldiers and safe moments with their own loved ones. The combatants. How were their gendered experiences picture of the loyal military wife exudes an aura shaped or formed by a military ideology largely of femininity, strength and perseverance for the focused around hegemonic masculinity, and how sake of something greater than herself. The iconic were these traumas ever addressed, if at all? Many model of “Rosie the Riveter” represents this type of gendered experiences of women during war and woman who heroically holds down the homeland post-war are not properly addressed in peacewhile the men are off to fight. What is not often building processes or in the time after a soldier mentioned in the “Rosie” tale is that when men returns home from war; thus, illuminating the returned home from World War II, women were stories of trauma and struggle of military women relegated back to the domestic sphere again, (and men) not only presents a different cry for despite the fact that they had occupied traditionally justice, but calls us to action in order to promote “male” roles for years (successfully!). During holistic human flourishing for all members of post-war reconstruction, women also hold the society. duty of caring for the men who return home with injuries and often paralyzing post-traumatic stress. In every ceremony, training program, and practice Despite the support groups and family therapy of the military there lies a certain gendered that the military provides in order for women to assumption that directly affects the way that cope with grief, loss and anxiety, there is perhaps war is carried out and the way that patriotism is a greater battle that needs to be fought in terms portrayed. While certain idioms like “Be a man” or of liberating them from the confined gender roles “Do it all for God, Country and Corps” encourage imposed on them by military culture. a sense of purpose and serve as useful tools for building morale, it is crucial to note the masculine When I asked some of the dates around me ideologies and the imperialistic mindsets involved (many of whom were fiancées or wives) about in instilling these messages. By breaking down how they felt about being in a military family, the gendered, imperialistic assumptions that they responded with pride and honor, naturally. undergird military thought, and by bringing to Military balls and ceremonies are the time when light the traumatic stories of women of war in wives, fiancées and girlfriends are able to celebrate particular, a more positive peace can come about the accomplishments of their significant others,