Boel Mannstrom of the Swedish Navy poses in a tunic uniform that was recently designed for pregnant women. But it signals what might happen elsewhere in Europe. It could even extend to the United States, should the US adopt compulsory peacetime service or reinstate the draft.
Many people feel that equal rights for women also means equal responsibilities.
While no culture seems ready to force women into combat, armies' increased reliance on high-tech weaponry over brute force is tipping the scales in favor of opportunities for women. In Sweden, known for its progressive social policies, the motivation to conscript women is to promote equality, not to increase enlistment. The country is cutting its armed forces by two-thirds. Women have argued for the right to join the military in Sweden and in other countries in part because of the valuable training and networking that it provides. Women were allowed to join Sweden's officer corps starting in 1980, and all positions were opened to female recruits in 1995.