Uncle Sam Takes Advantage of the Docile Body
We are growing up in world where it has become a duty to serve your country. Up until a few decades ago, women broke their traditional gender norms and started joining the military. Unfortunately these women joined these military ranks to serve their country when in reality they have to fight an internal war within the 4 walls of their bedroom. There are apparently 500,000 women who have raped over the past years and only 8% of them have been reported. If these crimes are reported, women are forced to face the backlash that follows. These women are often scared of what might happen to them if they report such crimes and are often penalized. The documentary “Invisible War” gives the dirty insides of the military command. As stated in the documentary this is “a war within itself.” Women have become the prey for these men as they are taken advantage of for their vulnerability and body. Unfortunately out of the crimes reported only a small percentage of them get convicted or punished. The women who report these crime are often punished in some sort of way such as getting deranked from their position, gettingcharged with adultery, lose rate and school. To make matters worse males are the only investigators that get assigned to these case because the military believes that women social workers are to sensitive to work on these cases. The documentary also mentions that military sexual trauma is seen in both genders as male soldiers are also subject to rape. But for male case, men who report such things are often ridiculed and get called homophobic slurs.
Connection with Nagel and Foucalt
In reference to the Nagels article“ Masculinity and Nationalism,” history shows that mens power were always written for them. In the US, a way of showing your nationalism is by serving your country. Nationalism has become a masculine enterprise that is dominated by white males. As stated in the article “nationalism started with masculine roots … nationalism and militarism go hand in hand.” I believe that this quote demonstrates that males are taught to be dominate and rule from a young age due to the idea of patriarchy. I find that masculinity is a form of patriarchy because of its influence on gender roles. In this case, the rapist are “predator who seeks their prey,” are often the highest ranking military men. They abuse the females in their rank because the know they can use their power to get away with it. In her article Nagel states, “ the military is highly sexualized… masculine eroctism is embedded in the notion of military strength and valor.” {Nagel 257} This quote demonstrates that the military provokes men to be aggressive and carry their masculine military tactics on a daily basis. In reference to the Foucalt reading these women are considered to be the docile body because males abusive their power and the inferiority status of these women. These military locations are seen as prisons because these women are trapped on these locations for months at a time and are subject to continue being the rape victims. These women are also targeted by their colleagues or superiors due to the Panopticon analysis. With the lack of surveillance these men dominate and abuse the female body as if they were slaves and use them for their own use.
Connection with Nagel and Foucalt
In reference to the Nagels article“ Masculinity and Nationalism,” history shows that mens power were always written for them. In the US way of showing your nationalism is by serving your country. Nationalism is a masculine enterprise dominated white male. As stated in the article “nationalism started with masculine roots … nationalism and militarism go hand in hand.” I believe that this quote demonstrates that males are taught to be dominate and rule from a young age due to the idea of patriarchy. I find that masculinity is a form of patriarchy because of its influence on gender roles. In this case, most rapist are “predator who seeks their prey” are highest ranking military men. They abuse the females in their rank because the know they can use their power to get away with it. In her article Nagel states, “ the military is highly sexualized… masculine eroctism is embedded in the notion of military strength and valor.” {Nagel 257} This quote demonstrates that the military provokes men to be aggressive and carry their masculine military tactics on a daily basis. In reference to the Foucalt reading these women are considered to be the docile body because males abusive their power and the inferiority status of these women. These military locations are seen as prisons because these women are trapped on these locations for months at a time and are subject to continue being the rape victims. These women are also targeted by their colleagues or superiors due to the Panopticon analysis. With the lack of surveillance these men dominate and abuse the female body as if they were slaves and use them for their own use.
Overall, women over time have broken gender roles and defined the odds by joining the military ranks. But it seems that the patriarchal violence towards females keeps repeating itself. It makes me wonder if this trend will ever stop.
