Damned if you do and damned if you dont. The Army accepts recruits from either sex but (surely this is another case for sex discrimination) females cannot be used as canon fodder as can the males recruits. I would have thought that it was self-evident that the Army does not offer a safe 9-5 Monday to Friday job. By definition the job requires being posted at short notice to anywhere in the world and then doing 24/7 what it takes to meet objectives set including putting your life at risk. This applies equally to support staff asto frontline soldiers.
So in a joined up society how can a single mum be excused from army duty because she has the care or her child to sort out! Seems a bit of a cake an eat it syndrome. Yes I want the pay, perks and security of an army job but excuse me leave me out when the going get tough.
Yes we want a caring and supportive society that looks out for those at risk and vulnerable. Nothing more vulnerable than a sick child and of course it needs its mother and its mother is wired to prioritise the care of her child. Maybe choosing the Army as a career move was a square peg into a round hole misfit. Nothing to do with sex discrimination, just the Army is not right place to be if you have a child to bring up, on your own. A single dad in the Army would be in the same place, conflict of interest, humanity says he must give the time to his child as and when needed and that is incompatible with the demands of a go anywhere do anything army fighting unit. You cant fudge over it, the issues just dont mix.
Sex discrimination has nothing to do or say about sexual equality. What it does say is any woman should not be denied an opportunity just because of her sex. Fair enough the Army should accept all applications irrespective of sexual orientation but that doesnt mean to say that all persons that could apply should apply. They must make their own judgements on whether they can meet the demands and expectations of the employer whoes benefits, employment, that want to take up.
No doubt the Army is riddled with chauvinist, sexists pigs who take pride in their contempt of all things girly and child minding. Maybe our Mum Soldier ran into one when she asked for compassion and consideration from her employer whilst she sorted out a sudden unanticipated problem with her child and didnt get an appropriate response. A horrid response and has to be routed out but that does not mean she has a right to expect that of her employer and it is stark staring bonkers that the legal system has supported her. Employers do not have any duty to support their employees social short-comings. If they choose to to widen their employment catchment, well done and goodluck. But it is not a right nor a right that a sane society would ever enforce.
No doubt the Army is riddled with chauvinist, sexists pigs who take pride in their contempt of all things girly and child minding. Maybe our Mum Soldier ran into one when she asked for compassion and consideration from her employer whilst she sorted out a sudden unanticipated problem with her child and didnt get an appropriate response. A horrid response and has to be routed out but that does not mean she has a right to expect that of her employer and it is stark staring bonkers that the legal system has supported her. Employers do not have any duty to support their employees social short-comings. If they choose to to widen their employment catchment, well done and goodluck. But it is not a right nor a right that a sane society would ever enforce.
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