GROUND ZERO: The Gender Wars in the Military
When women enter a traditionally male profession, their competence always comes under fire. Nowhere is this more marked than in the American military, where those immersed in the warrior culture remain staunchly convinced that women can't cut it--can't hump as much equipment, can't make split-second decisions, can't shoot straight, and shouldn't, in fact, be asked to do so because such participation would spark confusing cultural dissonance. If men are cast as protectors and women as caretakers, it's impossible to stomach the thought that women could be taken prisoner, leave their children for a war zone, or shoot to kill. Journalist Linda Bird Francke raises many excellent questions in this timely, blistering tour through a military landscape rife with sexism, harassment, and outright denial that women can and have played crucial roles in combat.