Should women be allowed to serve on the front line in combat roles? According to 2GB, “women have been allowed in combat roles since 2013 but an exemption in the Sex Discrimination Act still allows discrimination against women being given those positions.”
Should women be allowed to serve on the front line in combat roles?
— Caldron Pool (@caldronpool) February 6, 2018
A proposal to remove that exemption has been opposed by Senator Cory Bernardi who told Ben Fordham, “I’m reflecting the view from the front line soldiers, from the SAS, and the Commando Regiment officers and members whom I have spoken to about it. I wasn’t looking to pick a fight. I’m merely reflecting their point of view, that I happen to share personally.”
Bernardi went on to point out if the exemption is removed, “you can’t have separate entry requirements for men and women – which they do currently. So, what are they going to do? Are they going to lift the standard of entry for women to the male requirement or are they going to start lowering the standards, right across the board, to cater to the physical requirements currently enabled for females?”
Further, Bernardi went on to suggest, “to a man, they say it is not an appropriate unit or regiment for women to be in and it’s not the sort of circumstances that they think women should be placed in.” The Senator’s interview with Ben Fordham can be heard below.
Woe to the husband, and woe to the nation, that send their women to fight their battles.” John Piper