Reply #26: I don't think crim son's underestimating anything.

[noamnety]

It's no big secret that we have a systemic problem with male soldiers raping the female soldiers. It's no big secret that the majority of women soldiers experience sexual harassment from the men they work with. And it's no big secret that domestic violence among soldiers is a huge problem. It's also widely known that the military is having a problem with neo-nazis and hate groups.

That doesn't mean all or even most military people do these things, but the reality is that as a woman in the military, the odds are at 90% that you will be sexually harassed on the job, and 30% that you will be sexually assaulted.

It'd be silly to assume that a gay or lesbian would be immune from harassment or assault.

I support their right to serve. And I recognize that crim son's concern is entirely valid. When I talk to women about joining, if they are determined to go in, and I know I can't talk them out of it, I tell the statistics and tell them to at least take a self defense course before they go in. Being realistic about the risks is part of truth-in-recruiting, and part of making sure they are prepared to defend themselves.

It's entirely within the realm of possibility that a lesbian would be a larger target for rape than a heterosexual woman who is married. It's entirely possible that a gay man, if assigned to some unit having problems with hate groups, would be a target. The military culture promotes hypermasculinity, and has a higher rate of gendered violence than the civilian population.