Women Soldiers are common in the United States.
Women have been allowed to enlist in the military here for some time but in
many countries it can be seen as taboo. Women are discriminated against in many
countries as being seen weak or not capable of doing what men can do. Or some
sexist may feel like it does not fit the typical “role” of a woman. That is
where socially constructed gender roles can be an issue.
Kurdish women have joined the military to join the
fight against ISIS. The Kurds are an
ethnic Iranian group in the Middle East. ISIS is a group of militant extremist
or radicals who oppose western ideals and leadership. Pictures of Kurdish women
military fighters have been circling the internet in social media for some time
now but they were often portrayed as still glamorous though in the military.
Mostly the pictures are of women smiling with guns looking like the ideal “heroin”.
Yet photographer Jacob Russell stated that he has lived in Kurdistan for almost
two years and most of these women are not or have not been living glamorous
soldier lives. A lot of women joined the Kurdish military to escape abusive
relationships and discrimination in society. The find the military as being a
away to remove themselves from their stressful environments at home, though
many may feel that joining the armed forces is a stressful environment. Even
though women still face oppression in Kurdistan, it is progressive compared to
other places like it. Women serve in political roles and for other Kurdish
women, seeing the picture of the females in the military is a sign of hope and
progression.
Illyana Massey
4/3/15 9:00 pm
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