Turpin's "Many Faces" and Women's Constant War

    Jennifer Turpin's article "Many Faces: Women Confronting War" was a disturbing and harsh look at women's true role in war; As many assume that war is simply a man's game, it turns out that women once again receive the "short end of the stick" when it comes to violence. The first statistic that stuck out in my mind was the fact that more women die as a result of armed conflict than men. Though not many perish as a result of direct combat, an unfathomable number die as a result of pillaging and sexual abuse, while also suffering the consequences of being uprooted from their homes, caring for their impoverished families, being forced into prostitution, and losing their jobs. Ironies were rife throughout the article. For instance, it is interesting to note that "while governments are constantly decrying their lack of available funds to meet social needs, there seems to be an unending supply of capital for military spending, and many have observed a direct trade-off between the two."
     It is also rather hypercritical that although many men seem to be disturbed by the idea that women should be allowed to participate in direct combat, women are the ones who already suffer the most from war, and who seem unable to fight back. This feeling of helplessness continues throughout the article, as Turpin summarizes the effects of sexual harassment in the army, the differing reactions that women have towards loss, and the contemporary issues surrounding women making wartime decisions in the government. It is always depressing to see how little these debates have changed up to the present day, and how many people still refuse to believe that women are capable of any acts of violence, and how this should be a reason to keep women out of wartime activities. Although war is a heinous affair, it also seems to be inevitable. Wartime activities reflect a still extremely divided nation, as contemporary media still reflects the idea that women should pine away at home waiting for their loved ones to return for war, though history and common sense seems to make it obvious that women are capable of performing in the same capacity as their male counterparts.