FEMALE Soldier

A note I wrote, cross-posted from Facebook:

A male soldier is not referred to as a male soldier, because everyone, it seems, would assume the soldier is male, unless told otherwise.

Referring to anyone as a female anything- female soldier, female lifeguard, female friend- when it is not relevant to the story is on the same lines as using someone's race out of context. It is making a statement that says the person you are referring to is somehow defined by that part of their identity, and that it has something to do with the story being told.

I am tired of being referred to as a female Soldier, as I am tired of being called a White girl, etc. If you are a part of the majority, it is undoubtedly harder to see that these words have connotations that come along with them. Females are not seen as males equals by many, if not most, even today. We are seen as less, we are seen as emotionally-driven, physically weaker, and somehow less capable of performing our duties because we are females.

I am not defined by my race nor my gender, nor my sexual preference, rank, age or any other stereotype or label you can think of, and I refuse to sit on my hands and let people continue with "harmless" labels. Labels do harm. Labels are a way to mass-produce an impression in others, without giving any real information. What you see as harmless, isn't.

If I say I was standing in line for Church's behind a black man, it's going to sound a whole lot different than if I just said I was standing in line for Church's behind a man.

If I say one of my Soldiers was crying today, it's going to sound a whole lot different than if I said one of my female Soldiers was crying today.

People who have never been a minority don't see these things. Some folks who are minorities still refuse to acknowledge them, and most refuse to stand up and say something. Those of us who do must have taken things the wrong way, must be taking it too seriously. To you it's a joke, to you it's funny, to us IT'S REAL F'ING LIFE. Now, man up, and reign in your ignorance and realize that what you say, and how you label people is effecting them and how people see them.