Prejudice Against Femininity in Military Contexts

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Women wearing makeup are often seen as less serious and ambitious. Boys who don't conform to gender norms are called sissies, while tomboy girls are accepted. This asymmetry exists because tomboys don't threaten society's ability to fight wars, while boys who deviate from toughness are seen as a threat and could set a bad example for others.

Do nations fight wars because men are naturally violent? Or do societies condition men to embrace violence so they’ll fight the nation’s wars?

Along with co-hosts John Biewen and Celeste Headlee, this episode features reporting by Barry Lam of the Hi-Phi Nation podcast, with scholars Joshua Goldstein of American University, Tom Digby of Springfield College, and Graham Parsons of the United States Military Academy, aka West Point.

Music by Alex Weston, and Evgueni and Sacha Galperine. Music and production help from Joe Augustine at Narrative Music. Song fragment, “Men,” by Loudon Wainwright III.