Soldiers or Their Sexes?

Those of you living over here in Jolly Old England will invariably have heard the news of our soldiers being killed in Afghanistan. More specifically, the news if filled with the story that one of the four recently killed was a female solider, working with the SAS.

The fact our soldiers are being killed out there is still irking me, that we're pretty much running a war that apparently has no end - however, politics and foreign policy are not what this blog is about.

No, my main concern is that the press have taken the fact that a woman has been killed, and have run with it. What I don't understand, is WHY.

The headlines every now and then, from both Afghanistan and Iraq often reads something like "Three Soldiers Killed in Blast" or similar, but over the last couple of days, it's read "First Woman Soldier Killed" The papers are doing it, TV and Radio, online news... Even today Sky News says something like "Four Service Personnel, including first woman casualty, to be named" One of the news stories even adds the three guys killed along side as almost a footnote:

The first British woman was killed in action in Afghanistan in a blast that also claimed the lives of three other soldiers.
And there is also
Four British troops killed in an explosion in Afghanistan, including the first female UK soldier to die there, will be named later.
Our troops getting killed is awful. I hate they are dying for others. But how must it feel for the women, that have had to fight through the male-orientated lifestyle, to be singled out when they get injured or killed. Surely they, like everyone else out there, are Soldiers regardless of their sex. I cannot get my head around the fact the press are grabbing onto the fact that this woman has been killed. Now, if they usually said "Five male soldiers killed in action" then fair enough. WHY do they single out the fact that one of those killed is a woman?

In previous wars, I suspect the "women sorts" were kept off the front line. Usually, they would have been helping the wounded, doing the administration stuff - not running around in fatigues with thousands of pounds of military hardware, popping off the baddies with their male counterparts.

I am sure the soldier killed knew the risks. I am sure when she signed up, and completed her training alongside of her male counterparts, and didn't expect to be used by the media as a shocking new milestone. The fact any of our troops are being killed is enough.

Fair play and full support to all our boys and girls out there.

Edit @ 20:42- Sky News have published a story naming the woman. What a surprise, the ENTIRE story is about her. The other guys killed alongside her have been given a paragraph between them. And even then, it's NINE paragraphs down into the story. No interviews with the family, fellow soldiers or anyone else.

Please Mr Mass Media - please cease the hyping. She, along with ALL the others, died fighting for our Country. Male or Female - I still cannot understand why the media need to focus us all on the fact SHE is a SHE. A soldier is a soldier.

See comments for more points.

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7 Responses to “Soldiers or Their Sexes?”

debbie said...

I hate this was too Dan, pointless I say, but there you go but as for the constant reports of a first woman to have been killed.. Well All i can really say to that is the woman are either lucky or there doing V well to have just lost a woman,, the amount of Men that have lost there lives is awful for some war that seems to be going happening for Nothing.. Pull them out now,,

Anonymous said...

the woman on the headlines is purely that headlines

all our news at the moment revolves about the recession etc and how badly people are hit.

What has every single government in history done to distract us brits from bad news that they have caused..

oh yes WAR.

pull the heart strings distract peopel , make them angry that our forces are dying, make us proud of our men & women fighting..

and all the while side step over the fact they raise our taxes they borrow money & misspend it and they plunge us into an awful economy.

Sorry notone for politics & infact i dont watch the news even now but to me this is a blatent feed.

The Sween! said...

Amazing isn't it - why do we (Great Britain) always put our big noses in where it isn't needed, especially when it comes to things like war & conflicts?

Oh wait, I do know - because we keep on licking the septic tank's asses to keep them sweet!

Anonymous said...

I agree I would like them to pull the troops out.. And preferebly before next Friday when Carl goes for his 4 month tour in Afghan!! But as much as I wish they will, and as much as some of my friends suggested breaking his legs last weekend to stop him, he is unfortunately going. They do all know what they are signing up for when they join up, but its a very harsh reality when they face it. I keep out of the way of the news for obvious reasons!, havent watched it till now so I wont sit glued to the TV while he is out there! As much as I keep out of the politics and the rights and wrongs of it I have been privy to information recently that makes me understand a bit more why they are out there trying to help. Doesnt meant I have to agree with it, or be happy about it though!! :-(

Shiny Demon said...

We don't have to like or agree with why our boys and girls are out there. They're trying to make some of the worlds most hostile regions a safer and better place. When our troops are injured or killed in the line of duty it is our responsibility to ensure that they and their next-of-kins, get all the help they need.
That's why I support Help For Heroes at http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/

Em's way said...

Couldn't agree more dan, this mornings newspapers are all plastered it seems, with pictures of her on her wedding day. Why noty do the same for each and every one of the soldiers whohave been killed out there? She was a soldier first, a woman second.

Can I just say though pleas4e, that despite the best efforts of the media, a nearby town always comes to a halt in honour of EVERY military person killed. The bodies are always repatriated at a nearby airbase, and drive through Wooton Bassett, to reach the motorway. each time a number of people gather by the roadside to pay their respects. 102 bodies so far. I dread the day they bring this womans body home, the media is going to have a feeding frenzy :(

Posh Totty said...

Daisy has already said what I wanted to say except I feel she said it better than I could of, so go read what Daisy said ;o)