Women in Combat: A Critical Analysis of Responses to the U.S. Military's Recent Inclusion Efforts

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dc.contributor.authorHughes, Ashley Tayloren
dc.contributor.committeechairHausman, Bernice L.en
dc.contributor.committeememberHeilker, Paul V.en
dc.contributor.committeememberMazzolini, Elizabeth A.en
dc.contributor.departmentEnglishen
dc.date.accessioned2016-11-23T07:00:17Zen
dc.date.available2016-11-23T07:00:17Zen
dc.date.issued2015-06-01en
dc.description.abstractIn this thesis, I analyze responses to the 1994 Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule (DGCDAR), the policy that until January 24, 2013 formally barred women from serving in combat. Specifically, I use feminist theories of embodiment, equality, and difference to interpret how interlocutors represent female service members in the "Letters" section of the Marine Corps Gazette and interviews I collected from members of the military community. I find that the most common arguments against women in combat locate gender difference in the physically sexed body, centering primarily on female nature, sexuality, and strength. Throughout this project, I demonstrate how these arguments are persuasive because the discourse understands equality as sameness to a male norm. This equality as sameness paradigm perpetuates gender-based barriers to parity by expecting women to function just like men. Ultimately, I argue for a more inclusive conception of equality that acknowledges difference.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Artsen
dc.format.mediumETDen
dc.identifier.othervt_gsexam:5318en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/73487en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectMilitaryen
dc.subjectCombaten
dc.subjectFeminist Theoryen
dc.subjectCritical Theoryen
dc.subjectRhetoricen
dc.titleWomen in Combat: A Critical Analysis of Responses to the U.S. Military's Recent Inclusion Effortsen
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplineEnglishen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Artsen

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