Mary Anne, Feminists--by which I mean those who represent themselves as part of or leaders of an "official" Feminist Movement either on campus or off (hence the capital letter)--will never support the military because their basic leftist philosophy prohibits it. As for them listening to professional military women, why should they, any more than they listen to stay-at-home mothers about working and raising children. Women who do not fit their preconceived notion (whatever the hell THAT is) of a Proper Feminist Woman are not considered "real" women at all. It's kind of like what happens to black Republicans.

Frankly, neither the military nor anyone else should give a rat's ass about what the position of your typical academic is. The credibility of the Feminists died an agonizing death with their rabid defense of a sexual harrasser that supported their political goals. The credibility of the anti-American movement on campuses is dying as people see their reactions to the current crisis and begin to realize their real motives.

The following is my opinion:

I do not like the idea of women in combat. There are a number of reasons for this, some rational, some maybe not. This article covers some of it. I don't like the idea of lowering standards for women. I don't like the idea of single mothers with small children going off to combat. Men and women are different in many important ways. Superiority of one sex over another has nothing to do with it. Different does not mean superior or inferior.

I would really like to see the opinions of veterans on this, particularly those who have seen combat.

On the other hand, maybe we don't want to open this particular can of worms right now, and that would be fine with me too.