With the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, the question of how best to lead is on everyone’s mind. Would a woman in power lead to different results? Do we need more women in government? Actually, I don’t think we do.
The word “representation” has lost all meaning. Instead of pouring our resources into forming a “more diverse government,” the American government should try minding its own business. What will having more women fueling the war machine do? We need a new system, there is no fixing the problem by painting it pink and paying it less.
Since its founding in 1776, America has spent 92% of its existence at war.
According to the Defense Manpower Data Center, American troops are currently deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Honduras, Puerto Rico, Canada, Greenland, Mexico, Colombia, Bahamas, Japan, South Korea, Guam, Australia, Singapore. Philippines, Palau, Thailand, Taiwan, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, Spain, Belgium, Greece, Netherland, Portugal, Poland, Romania, Norway, Hungary, France, Bahrain, Kuwait, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Diego Garcia, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Kenya, Jordan, and Djibouti; 42 total countries.
If these wars were declared by women, these occupations led by women, would the deaths abroad mean less? The suffering, carnage, children growing up without their parents - would this be easier to stomach if the bombs were dropped by women?
Representation is important, people should see themselves reflected in the media and the worlds they interact with. Accurate media portrayal, equally accessible opportunities, and gender equality are things we as a country should be striving for. That is all true, and also not what this conversation is about. There is no “gender equality” possible in preventable deaths.