UofM Feminist

Now that school has begun again here at the U, free time no longer exists. Although all of my courses are interesting, there is one in particular that is incredibly provoking. Gender and Global Politics is a class offered in the GWSS [gee-wiz] department and our professor began the course talking about the militarization of women not only in the U.S. but internationally. How do issues like prostitution affect different countries? Do people who live near army bases lead different lives than those who do not?

We have recently finished reading Maneuvers by Cynthia Enloe which discusses the Militarization of women's lives in many aspects of life. She suggests that during times of war, the products marketed to women probably have something to do with the military. Sales of G.I. Joe dolls skyrocket and camo attire can be seen everywhere. Corporations as well as the government push the militarization of lives in order to garner support and to make militarization of peoples lives a normal occurance. By normalizing the military, the government gives itself more power and more options. We asked ourselves what the Iraq war has meant or how it has affected women. In a local sense, it seems as if our lives haven't drastically changed. As a woman, I have not truly been affected besides hearing stories and hearing how others have been affected. However, when you consider how the war as affected Iraqi women, the differences are drastic. For many Iraqi women, they have been raped, forced out of their homes, and prosecuted not only by Iraqi men but also by American men. Prostitution and the military is also a big issue. Issues of the soldiers' "sexual health" are the base commander's problems. The government and higher military officials delegate this trivial issue to them. Often, these commanders set up brothels and allow "visitors" to the base. In Vietnam, 4/5 prostitutes had STDs from the soldiers. Even though these soldiers had many diseases, the military would try to prevent it from spreading. However, rather than testing their own men, they would test the prostitutes. If a prostitute was found to have an STD, she was sent to, what they would call, the "monkey house" for a couple weeks.

Just a couple topics for you all. I would strongly suggest reading the book!