Don't Talk To Me About Shoes!

[eumelia]

I just read an article on an online News outlet in Hebrew that the IDF is planning on ridding itself of the sandal that female soldiers are allowed to wear in summer.

Why?

Well, in the name of equality, of course.

If male soldiers aren't allowed to wear sandals in the heat and have to keep their think socks and high combat boots on year 'round then so should the female soldiers.

This is logic I can't really argue with, other than the fact that the whole premise is flawed.

My own personal ideological issues with the IDF aside, I know, not easy, but for the sake of argument, if you please.

First of all, by default, there is no equality between the service of female and male soldiers. Boys and Girls do not serve in the same way in the IDF.

The only time men and women get a so-called equal footing in the army is if a woman goes a serves in a unit that requires her to serve three years (which is the standard amount that men serve, while women serve two) and she gets combat boots and uniform tailored for men. Because, see, the uniform is not just tailored differently for men and women - they are completely different.
As in, other than the colour and material, you can look at the articles of clothing and go "huh" that goes in the same army.

You will never, ever, catch a man Dragging it in the military - that would be against regulations after all. A woman? A woman will do her best to get, at the very least, a pair of male tailored trousers to wear.

A woman's uniform has one less pocket than the male one, and even so the pockets on the female uniform are good for holding not much more than a pen and an ID card.
Mens pants can cargo a small canteen.
How do I know this? I wore a man's uniform for three months during training and mourned the loss when I was stationed for the next year and nine months on the base where I couldn't wear my fatigues any longer.

This may sound like "bithch, moan, whine", but tell me something? Do you think it's "equal" that women are issued a uniform that they have to get hemmed and adjusted off base in order for it to fit comfortably?
Do you think it's "equal" that women's uniforms hug your ass, don't have unusable pockets and basically there to show off your body?
Do you think the Army is an "eqaul" organisation when the service time is different between men and women for no other reason than men are considered more worthwhile to keep on?
Do you honestly think that by giving everyone "equal" footwear, the IDF will suddenly become an egalitarian utopia?

Hello! It's the military!
There is no effing equality, not between ranks and certainly not between gender!
To get the respect I deserved during my service I had to threaten people and yell at them. I'm pretty certain I was called "Hysterical Bitch" behind my back.

Regardless, the fact that male soldiers are complaining about the "advantages" and "inequality" between women and men in the IDF and claiming that women have it better is hilarious.
Is it any wonder my country is so twisted in the head when it comes to privilege, equality and feminism.
People, Israel can be found beneath freakin' Afghanistan when it comes to the statistical amount of women in parliament.

Just, c'mon now. For reals?!

Comments

[nurint.livejournal.com]

the service time is different between men and women for no other reason than men are considered more worthwhile to keep on?

Is that the reason men serve longer? I always thought it was because women had a much tighter schedule than men do when it comes to reproducing, so it'd make sense to let them get on with their lives faster.

Also, about the adjustment of uniform thing, most women I know that did it was because the waist line was way too high and it was much more fashionable to lower it considerably. I think the army lowered the waist line in the supplied uniform a few years ago because everyone had it fixed, sometimes to the point of being too low.

But yes, men's uniform is much more convenient than women's.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

The reason you give makes sense as well.

Well, yes, exactly. They have to be adjusted and generally speaking they will adjust it to what's fashionable. When we were serving it was those low riding jeans, no?
I remember those high waistlines... I didn't need a bra with those.

If they just gave out the same uniforms! I mean, you're gonna look ugly in any event, may as well be comfy.

[nurint.livejournal.com]

I don't think the army can be blamed for the fashion decisions that motivate the girls to tailor their uniform, or for it being completely uneconomical to modify the uniform to comply with current fashions. (also, I can't say the high waistline was uncomfortable, it took me almost 2 years to realize I was pretty much the only girl in the army that didn't lower it...)

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

I'm not blaming the army for fashion decisions based on the Runway. I blame the army for being bloody uncomfortable.

(Seriously...? Well, I suppose you being a bit taller than me and not having a pair of hips and as ass that protrude the I do, it may have sat you better. Maybe?)

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

Good grief, that's ridiculous. If they wanted to be genuinely egalitarian about the sandal issue, they'd make sandals available to men or women during summer. And, as you say, that's just the tip of the iceberg. (Inequality between military ranks is expected, and inequality between the sexes is probably inevitable; that doesn't mean it has to be enhanced!)

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

It's just so very silly.

[esizzle.livejournal.com]

why put problems with the IOF aside? feminists should not be asking for equal access in the IOF!!

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Tell that to the women climbing the ranks...

Whenever I get into a discussion with someone who uses the IDF as an example of feminism I'm go: "Yeah, because a military organisation is the epitome of hierarchical equality, what with the highest ranks being men, all their secretaries being women and judicially excluding 20% of the population 'cause they're not Jewish".

Of course then they start going "But they're the enemy!" they being the Arabs of course. They (the people I'm arguing with) don't know that the mandatory draft law applies to Palestinians with Israeli citizenships, just that the ministry of offence defence doesn't send out the draft notices because they don't want any kind of integration... if they were to send it out a huge amount of Arab teens would come to the draft centre, much to the chagrin of the Higher Ups.

Looking for any kind of feminist solution in an org that reproduces ethnic and gender inequity is just plain dumb.

[esizzle.livejournal.com]

ya exactly! like, as feminists their goal should not be that they get the equal opportunity to oppress others!

[hemlock-sholes.livejournal.com]

But it should be their goal to defend others

:)

[esizzle.livejournal.com]

yeah right. defenders. the noble israeli military defending itself for its right to destroy other peoples lives. what are feminists waiting for!

[hemlock-sholes.livejournal.com]

I don't know about that.
I've never heard the "enemy" excuse, I've always heard the "Arabs shouldn't be put in the position of potentially fighting other Arabs". Patronizing, perhaps, but not the same thing.

I'm not so sure that Arab teens would come to the draft centers, Weren't there Arab MKs who protested against Arabs joining a civil service substitute to the army last year?

[hemlock-sholes.livejournal.com]

So a step in the right direction is a bad thing because it doesn't go all the way?

I didn't read the article, but aren't you going a bit far with the egalitarian utopia?
The army isn't an egalitarian utopia, but who said it should be?