Drafting Daughters: A Moral Outrage or a Solution to Gender-Identity Draft Dodging?

Summary

• Senate Proposal: Senate Democrats have included a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act requiring women to register for the draft.

• Moral Dilemmas: The proposal challenges longstanding traditional roles of men and women, particularly women's roles as caregivers.

• Sexual Identity Debate: Debates on gender identity complicate the issue, raising questions about whether drafting women could prevent men from trying to avoid the draft by claiming to be female.

• Historical Comparisons: The situation is comparable to draft dodgers of the 1960s and 70s, with the potential for new forms of draft evasion.

The recent inclusion by Senate Democrats of a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act requiring women to sign up for the draft is stirring a hornet’s nest of moral and societal questions that were unfathomable just a few decades ago.

This shift, unprecedented in American tradition, brings to light complex moral dilemmas, particularly given the current state of sexual identity debates and the historical context of military conscription.

Historically, the United States has never required compulsory military service for women. This tradition stems from deeply rooted societal values and the recognition of the different roles men and women have traditionally played in both the public and private spheres.

The notion of drafting women contradicts the long-standing practice of preserving women’s roles as caregivers and the moral protectors of the family unit, roles that many believe should not be compromised.

The modern-day linguistic and ideological struggle to define what constitutes a woman adds another layer of complexity to this issue.

Today’s sexual identity debates have reached a point where some modern linguists and social activists argue that gender is a fluid concept, detached from biological sex.

This ambiguity presents a unique challenge in the context of drafting women into the military.

In the 1960s and 70s, male draft dodgers would burn their draft cards and flee to Canada to avoid conscription. Under the guise of self-identified gender fluidity, a biological man could potentially avoid the draft simply by identifying as a woman.

This raises the question: Could compulsory female service be a tactic to close this loophole? While this might prevent some draft dodging, it forces us to confront the uncomfortable reality of drafting women, an issue with significant moral implications.

Compelling women to serve by law, as opposed to their voluntary service, challenges our society's ethical foundations. Senator Roger Wicker and other opponents rightly argue that forcing our daughters and granddaughters into military conflicts against their will is morally wrong.

This stance reflects a broader concern about the mental, emotional, and religious stresses such a mandate would place on American families.

The notion of drafting women is not just a question of policy but one of morality. Throughout American history, the draft has been an exclusively male burden, acknowledging the unique physical and emotional demands of warfare.

Forcing women into this role ignores these differences and risks undermining the very fabric of family values that have sustained American society for generations.

The prospect of compulsory female service also raises significant emotional and religious concerns. For many families, the idea of sending daughters and granddaughters into combat zones is not just unthinkable but a direct affront to their beliefs and values.

The potential psychological impact on both the women drafted and their families cannot be understated.

It introduces a new level of stress and anxiety into the lives of ordinary Americans, compounding the pressures they already face in an increasingly complex and divided society.

The debate over drafting women into the military highlights the broader moral and ethical issues facing our nation today. It forces us to re-examine our values and the principles that have guided us for generations.

 The question we must ask is whether we are willing to sacrifice our traditional values and the well-being of our families in the name of modern-day political correctness and ideological conformity.

Martin Mawyer is president of the Christian Action Network, which he founded in 1990. Located in Lynchburg, VA, CAN was formed as a non-profit educational organization to protect America’s religious and moral heritage. He is the author of several books, including You Are Chosen: Prepare to Triumph in a Fallen World.