Category: Women

I was in the Navy when the Tailhook scandal broke back in 1991. We received training briefs ad nauseum about how we should treat female sailors. We couldn’t say suggestive things or make inappropriate gestures, and we had to make sure we did not engage in any sort of physical contact that would be construed as making an advance. I remember thinking the whole time how obvious all of this was. I remember thinking that anyone should know you don’t treat women certain ways. Not just military women, but anywhere. Apparently my thinking was the minority. Or so it seems considering that, twenty years later, we are still having redundant issues with sexual harassment and assault in the military ranks. What is worse, the people who are supposed to be implementing these changes and protecting service members are themselves guilty of the very things they are charged with stopping.