Veteran’s Day is a public holiday celebrated each years to honor all those who served in the United States Armed Forces. It’s a time to show your respect and recognize all the people that served for our country. In honor of that, here are three reasons why you should keep women veterans in your thoughts today.
1. Women have fought for this country as long as men.
Yes, women were barred from combat until recently, but that doesn’t mean women didn’t find other ways to serve.
There are anecdotes of women so passionate for this country that they dressed as men just to enlist. The establishment of the Army Nurse Corps in the early 1900s also gave women an active, front line role in all military actions.
2. Women and men are equally fit to serve.
It has long been said that biologically women aren’t as capable as men in strength or stamina. This excuse was used for decades to turn women away from fighting. However, the 1994 Defense Women’s Health Research Program proved this wrong. The study found that women’s survival in extreme heat or cold, their response to stress, and their ability to tolerate different gravity forces all equaled men’s. More recently in 2015, an Army study decided that there was no reason to exclude women from any military position as long as they met the physical requirements.
3. Homelessness affects women veterans too.
The stereotype of a white, male veteran experiencing homelessness has long perpetrated the media and clouded our perceptions.
In fact, a nationwide survey found that 40 percent of women veterans have experienced homelessness. There was even a report from the Disabled American Veterans charity group that found that female veterans are the fastest growing section of homeless veterans.
On this Veteran’s Day, be sure to thank all the veterans in your life and give a special nod to women.
(Photo Credits: Cover)