# Ban on combat lifted = women registering for Selective Service?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-on-combat-lifted-women-registering-for-selective-service/729721>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [September 2, 2015, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-on-combat-lifted-women-registering-for-selective-service/729721 "2015-09-02T17:34:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 32

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**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2015, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-on-combat-lifted-women-registering-for-selective-service/729721/32 "2015-12-07T10:20:03Z")

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> [@UltraVires](#):
>
> Just because women have been approved for combat service only means that those women who are rather abnormally strong or otherwise fit will be suited for it. That does not mean that women from the general population would be similarly suited. Registering women would give the draft boards (if it is ever reenacted) a large pool of women to weed through who are unsuited for combat.
> 
> Keep registration (not a draft) but do not require women to register. This country should be ashamed if it _forces_ a 19 year old petit girl go to boot camp. A man? Well, if it thinks a draft is needed, then us guys need to pony up. The necessity of the draft is one for the elected representatives.

If women are to have the privileges of full citizenship then they should also have equal responsibilities. Anything less makes women second class citizens and lesser human beings.

“Petit” men who are drafted may well be rejected for simple lack of ability to do the job required, or assigned to duties which they are capable of doing. Likewise, women who are drafted would be assigned duties that fit their actual abilities. Due to biology you’ll have a lot fewer women qualifying for, example, infantry but it’s not like all men are capable of doing those jobs, either. You seem to presume the default state for men is “suitable for combat” but plenty aren’t. The military always has to screen draftees and weed out those unsuited. Heck, they have to do the same for volunteers as well.

I have long wondered why it is somehow more acceptable for a man to come back home in a box than a woman. Shouldn’t it be equally appalling for either gender? Aren’t they all equally human beings?

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