You've obviously never been in the military.
Women have physical differences that require different standards [less muscle mass, but faster reflexes, for one], but "less able in combat"?
Rape?
Seriously?
What part of this following statement don't you understand?
Women captured by the enemy are routinely raped.
A risk every woman soldier is aware of, same as injury and death - it can't be eliminated. Soldiers should not face such risks from their fellow soldiers, however. [Does 'Tailhook' sound familiar?]
I mean let's put this in the right context, we are talking about putting people in situations where they will become "victims" by our societies standards. If we are to believe that there are some issues with coed housing, it has to be with the fact that everyone is not up to a standard of self-control more than anything else. THIS is the problem we have in today's society, we have allowed our children to grow up that it is alright to do their own thing, which leads me to believe that many who join the military do it for reasons other than to defend the country.
IN a combat situation, especially with the enemies we are fighting or may be fighting in the future, they don't adhere to anything but their own culture and ignore western values. THIS can include people form Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Pain?
Try kidney stones.
Pfft - try a kidney infection so severe that the kidney was within 12 hours of exploding from the pressure, when a drainage tube was surgically placed. Then have the kidney removed six months later, [because it's functioning at 2%], leaving a scar that circles half your body. That's pain.
Talk about something that equates to real pain; cramps are nothing compared to those stones. AND yes with what we eat and drink today, it is more often a problem than what others think.
Childbirth is a choice by the way.
Thankfully, yes, it is. Which doesn't lessen the labor pains one little bit.
