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Military Should Address Gender Stereotypes When Integrating Combat Roles, Study Finds

Date Posted: Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Category: Department of Defense - National

Authors of the Army Research Institute-funded study published online in the "Sex Roles" journal on August 9, 2016, "argue that the military should consider implementing training that directly addresses the pervasive stereotypes and cultural understandings of gender. The challenging work begins during policy implementation, which includes breaking down assumptions that are part of leadership within the organization and working on shifting the mindset of the military," said Alesha Doan, associate professor in the School of Public Affairs and Administration and Department of Political Science. Female study participants shared common experiences that when they accessed Middle East women, these indigenous people often saw them as Americans and soldiers first instead of a woman first in contrast to their male peers who rely on stereotypes or assumptions about gender. Researchers Alesha Doan and Shannon Portillo's noted that "these attitudes could cause military leaders to rely on assumptions and hypothetical scenarios to guide certain decisions on gendered policies and practices rather than evidence-based reasoning."

Read the full article at: University of Kansas