Military and Masculinity

Abstract

Society at large and Conflicts in particular have adapted a somewhat gendered outlook which perpetuates an idea of what is perceived to be masculine and what is feminine. Conflicts, in particular, for long have adopted a masculinized approach which has specifically been observed and criticized by feminist scholars. Women, in particular suffer the brunt in a conflict and post-conflict situation which only intensify the existing gendered social hierarchies putting women at a risk of completely losing their human rights. This gendered perception of war also works effectively to exasperate the social desolation that women suffer from due to a cultural insensitivity that comes with the gendered perception of femininity.

Women, for centuries, have been deprived of fair treatment as the masculine functioning of war reduce them to objects where they become mere prizes and objects of acquisition. The military, which is the most prominent unit in a conflict, is the face of this masculinized idea of war that perpetuates violence more often than not in the form of sexual violence against women. Rape, as a tool of subjugation became a common fixture of torture and humiliation in most war-like conditions. In a 141 page report called “We will teach you a lesson: Sexual Violence against Tamils by Sri Lankan Security Forces” detailed accounts of 75 such alleged rapes that have occurred across official and secret detention in Sri Lanka. Another horrific case of grave sexual misconduct would have been during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 when 200,000-400,000 Bangladeshi women and girl were systematically raped in what could have been termed as a genocidal rape of sorts. This is specifically to target the cherished idea of modesty and to break the moral of the opposition. Through this chapter we will attempt to look into the psychological gendered perception of war and how it has played on for so long.