Ukrainian army's decision to make female soldiers march in high heels sparks backlash
Category: News & Politics
Via: john-russell • 3 years ago • 112 commentsBy: Jack Guy and Denis Lapin, CNN 23 mins ago (MSN)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
-
Ukraine's Ministry of Defense has defended its decision to train female soldiers to march in high heels, following an outcry from local lawmakers.
Women from the Ukrainian armed forces will march in a parade to mark the 30th anniversary of independence from the Soviet Union on August 24, according to a statement from Army Inform, the defense ministry's official news agency, published Thursday.
They have been training twice a day to master the steps and are progressing well, Major Eugene Balabushka told Army Inform. Balabushka confirmed the plan to wear high heels during the parade.
Ivanna Medvid, a cadet at the Military Institute of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kiev, has been training for more than a month. "Today, for the first time, training takes place in high-heeled shoes," she told Army Inform. "It's a little harder than in boots, but we try."
However, the decision to march in high heels angered a number of lawmakers after local media picked up images published by the defense ministry.
Elena Kondratyuk, deputy chairman of the Ukrainian parliament, joined members of parliament from the "Equal Opportunities" cross-party group to call on defense minister Andrei Taran to reevaluate the decision to make female soldiers wear heels while marching.
And Olga Stefanishina, vice prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine; Marina Lazebnaya, minister of social policy; Yulia Laputina, minister for veterans' affairs; and Yekaterina Levchenko, government envoy for gender policy, signed a joint statement criticizing the decision.
"Shoes with heels are incompatible with the combat capability of soldiers, and a 'Prussian' step on a parade in such shoes is a deliberate harm to the health of soldiers," reads the statement, posted on Stefanishina's Facebook page on Friday.
There are 57,000 women serving in the Ukrainian armed forces, according to the post, and the country is introducing NATO standards, under which the principle of equality of rights and obligations of servicemen, regardless of gender, applies unconditionally.
In response to the criticism, the defense ministry uploaded a series of pictures to Facebook of female soldiers from other armies wearing high heels.
But Stefanishina and the cosignatories of her statement pointed out that while the armies of some NATO member countries issue high heels to women as part of their dress uniform, they are not worn while marching in parades.
The officials called on the ministry to replace the high-heeled shoes, appoint a gender adviser and carry out a survey of women in the security and defense sector to find out how they feel about working conditions, including their uniforms.
Following the criticism, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense said on Saturday that it will issue "new, improved footwear" for female soldiers.
Defense minister Taran said he has ordered his deputies to look into new footwear, which will be "ergonomic and made in the shortest possible time."
However, it is not clear exactly when the new footwear will be available.
The decision came after Taran met with female cadets and listened to their proposals, according to Saturday's statement.
Tags
Who is online
50 visitors
It's doubtful that high heels are compatible with military activity. High heels serve the function of emphasizing the female's legs and derriere.
-
The third lady from the right got my immediate attention.
One doesn't need "research" or wikipedia to know that high heels flatter a women.
I don't think you realize it, but you just made an argument if favor of the military concentrating on what it's function should be. Are you sure you wanted to go there?
Where in the US military do they teach critical race theory Vic? Be specific.
Recall that General Milley told Congress to remember that the U.S military academies are universities.
When you go into a pet store there is that section that sells fish.
What is the function of those fish?
I'm not going to wait. Answer: they are ornamental. Anything other than a well trained fighting man is ornamental for the military. One can argue that the extras constitute support, but a lot of the new extras are strictly there for optics & politics.
The military academies , where CRT may or may not be being taught, are universities. The cadets take many courses not related to being " a well trained fighting man".
Economics Program | United States Military Academy West Point
Course Offerings. SS201 Principles of Economics SS364 Game Theory SS368 Econometrics SS380 Manpower and Labor Economics SS382 Microeconomics SS385 History of Economics SS387 Public …
So women are only ornamental in teh military?
wow....just wow....
Does that mean that young adults are capable of determining what propaganda is? So we don't have to worry about them?
I'll bet there are now millions among us that have been indoctrinated in the university - while we all trusted those institutions.
I think they would be considered support along with civilian employees.
I was thinking of the newly minted groups, such as transgenders being part of the ornamental/political aspect.
1000+ American Female Casualties of Wars:
World War I: At least 359 servicewomen died in combat or in combat operations - (mostly from battlefield influenza, and aircraft/vehicle accidents.)
World War II : 543 died, mostly from vehicle and aircraft accidents. Sixteen Army nurses died from enemy fire.
Korean War : 17 died, mostly from vehicle or aircraft accidents.
Vietnam War : 8 died, one from hostile fire, one suicide, and the rest from vehicle and aircraft accidents.
Gulf War (Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm): 16 died, mostly from vehicle and aircraft accidents and hostile fire.
(SOURCES: Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation; Defense Department.)
----------
And in the War in Iraq, the 100th female combat fatality occurred July 25 2008.
-
But Ms. Duckworth is just ornamental, John!
Duckworth should be required to wear high heels, too.
I know you were joking
Hey! Some guys are turned on by amputations.
Plus high heels!
[r][emoved]
He didn't say that
Right-wing cartoons might be funny if they had any relation with reality.
Did he post a cartoon? I have him on ignore
Yes... but very unfunny.
~
Ukrainian women have served in combat units since 2014 and makeup 15% of the Ukrainian military.
If you doubt the capability of women in the military and their roles in combat you might want to educate yourself about Kurdish women in the Permesga and YPJ. ISIS I'm sure would get you up to date. Also, check out the IDF.
Or the US women that serve with Special Ops in combat.
What a misogynistic and uninformed comment.
I wonder what Margaret Houlihan would have to say about that....
Or the Night Witches of Russia.
Of course, there were misogynistic sentiments toward them, too.
Soviet women snipers
The female terrors of the Eastern Front
How about the women of the French Resistance or the Dutch Resistance.
And the female partisans of Tito's resistance.
Some on NT really make ignorant/stupid comments about a subject they don't know a damn thing about.
How would you know, Vic?
I bet they'd have been better shots if they'd been wearing heels.
To the contrary, my comments are always pro Femininity and everything that goes with it. I believe it is feminists who are misogynist and unable to think for themselves. Where were the feminists here when transgender males were defeating women in women's sports? Could it be that feminist bow to the dictates of the radical left - that being that the transgender group is now the top special group which can't be criticized?
Oh, as long as we are categorizing comments: Posts 2.1.7, 2.1.8 and 2.1.10 were ignorant, vile and disgusting.
[deleted]
You wouldn't understand sarcasm if it slapped you in the face.
Women can still be feminine and still shoot a fly off an apple at 200 yards. Did you know women make better snipers? You really should read about the Night Witches of the Soviet Union. They terrorized the skies of Nazi Germany. And I for one, would never go up against the Kurdish women or the Israelis. I hear they are tough as nails. Maybe tougher.
And if you think those comments were ignorant, vile, and disgusting I suggest you go back and read your own comments. And I have nice little present for you in HD if you ain't skeert
[deleted]
Look out, there's a squirrel.
[deleted]
Your comments promote an idea of "femininity" as defined by YOU, not by women, and detrimental to women. They promote the idea that women exist primarily to appeal to men, with any other skills they possess devalued and dismissed. Women are to be ornamental. Feminists reject the role of women being defined in such an outdated and shallow way.
The comments you mentioned were parodying the actual disgusting comments.
I do. My Niece is the best shot in the family.
The list of transgenders who have ever competed ,let alone won championships, in women's or girl's sports is very short.
My mom was a killer shot with her .22 rifle. Actually shot a snake in his open mouth.
parodying? LMAO
I'm disappointed Sandy. I don't think our readers will buy it.
[deleted]
[deleted]
[deleted]
I think our readers know what parodying is, considering they're parodying your comments quite well.
I'm certain of it!
So, you recognize that your comments are being parodied?
I can't even say nice try.
It's sad.
I do have a question that is off topic. May I?
Vic, your refusal to recognize parody is on you, not me. As for your question, this isn't my seed, so it's not my call.
Sandy, It's not parody. It's the usual vile comments and we all know it.
That was the weakest argument ever made on NT.
Here's what he said, "Anything other than a well trained fighting man is ornamental for the military." Ergo, Vic is saying women in the military are "ornamental." That's also an insulting and misogynistic statement to make about women who are or have served in the military.
Total BS Vic! calling or considering women in the military "ornamental" is not only anything but pro femininity, it is disrespectful and dismissive to the women who do serve or contribute to the military!
Another non pro-fem and misogynistic statement!
A false equivalency.
And now a deflection.
Not nearly as vile or disgusting as posts 2.1.1, 2.1.5, and 2.1.25!
You declaring it to be not parody doesn't make it not parody. Judging by the upvotes on our respective comments, our readers agree with me.
Those aren't readers. They are people with skin in the game, right here on this thread. Some of them have voted up comments that have been ticketed & removed.
Are you proud of that?
Did I?
Did you read comment 2.1.5.?
There are a lot of personal attacks here. If you feel women are as good as men in combat, maybe you should make an argument supporting it.
They are also doing the parodying. And of course they're readers, unless you're saying fellow members can't read. Talk about personal attacks.
Exactly, pat. The words are all there, for all to read, in all their inglorious misogyny.
It's been made in a couple of comments but you chose to ignore facts and continue to keep up with lying comments when the ''readers'' can see every comment and all of your misogynistic comments and the facts that you refuse to acknowledge.
Of course you know what I'm saying. I'm referring to the majority - those who read these articles and have no interest in getting into these kind of discussions.
Have a good one.
It's obvious that people got ticketed today. I get it. I'm not taking the bait.
Have a good night.
Yes, it is but what does that have to do with you making misogynistic comments and refusing to accept reality except for you to try and save face which at this point is not possible since the ''readers'' can see every comment.
Very well said, Kavika.
Very true indeed. I don't know of anyone who disrespects women in the depth that he does. I guess Vic does not accept that NT is NOT a men only site, thus, he feels free to endlessly insult and disrespect the many female Members here on NT by spewing his misogynistic BS.
He is not the only one on NT and personally I am glad when their disrespect for women is right out in the open where they cannot deny it...
Women and minorities remember and vote!
Your post 2.1.1, "Anything other than a well trained fighting man is ornamental for the military." Are you denying what you said? Or are you going to try and spin it?
Yes, and? That doesn't change what you said in 2.1.1, including "One can argue that the extras constitute support, but a lot of the new extras are strictly there for optics & politics."
Don't try to deflect from your own comments.
You're making a strawman argument. I never said anything about a woman's capability in combat.
So, none of your pals can be bothered to support your misogynistic comments? You might want to think about why that might be.
It's not our problem that you disagree with everything that doesn't align with your 'views' and ticket us. Another drive by shooting Vic seed.
Fashion, not function. I routinely have this conversation with my wife when we have to cut our walk short because she wore the wrong shoes (out of dozens and dozens of pairs to choose from), or she ends up in an awkward situation because her ID or credit card is in one of her many many other purses. On a military scale though? That’s new.
If they would have tried to make me march in heels, I would have quit right then and there. High heels are the most useless foot wear in a woman's closet.
I feel bad for young men these days. There isn't much to stimulate them.
Ever walked in them?
You know why high heels were invented? So women couldn't run away from men
Nope! I did see to it that one of my wives had no less than 30 pair.
You know why high heels were invented?
Truly one of the greatest inventions of mankind.
Most young men find stimulation in more than appearance [Deleted]
Ahhh another misogynistic comment.
How many wives have you had?
One of the greatest inventions? I don't think so.
Two
One of the greatest inventions? I don't think so.
I'm sure you don't.
You are just trolling me. So let's end our interaction in this seed
Have a good one.
Why are you so sure?
I don’t get men’s fascination with high heels. Personally I find them to be just weird. Plus I’m not tall so I’m not a fan of my date artificially towering over me. My favorite look for a fit and attractive lady is a belly shirt, baggy pants and flat shoes. Think TLC.
That would be a good look for a fit woman. I like my ass covering tunics and jeans
Of course there is, so long as they aren't shallow and misogynistic.
I just realized that you want women hobbled so they can't get away. Let's ask our audience, shall we?
Dear Readers:
I asked Vic why high heels were invented...so women can't run away from men. And what does he do? He repeats my question and then answers with..Truly one of the greatest inventions of mankind.
Mull that over
So it's a woman's duty to 'stimulate' these young men?
We should end all support to Ukraine immediately.
Seriously.
That makes sense/s
I am sure the Russians would love it. Considering they are pissed off about Obama backing a coup to flip their former satellite state; and Trump ok'd the US to sell arms to Ukraine. Of course Biden already shit all over the Ukrainians by dropping sanctions on the Russian pipeline that cuts all of those former satellite states out of oil profits.
US foreign policy is fucked up; but dropping support due to what shoes female soldiers wear for marching has to be the most fucked up thing I have ever heard.
... because you think Ukraine would persist...
Wow.
Who gives a shit if they persist. If you are willing to cut US support over something as minor as this; then there is nothing you wouldn't cut US support over. Ukraine had better make peace at any cost with Russia ASAP; before they are screwed over by the US.
Kinda simplistic...
I'm willing to bet it was just a fun idea to promote women in the military. The female soldiers were probably all for it and wanted to show that while they were soldiers they were still feminine and sexy. Let's face it the type of people who criticize this rarely serve anyone but themselves anyway.
That's a very rude thing to say. I served in the Air Force and there were times I had to wear heels. I just don't think that making women march in heels is very safe or healthy
There is an inherent incongruity in watching soldiers march in high heels.
I bet this image is getting a lot of attention today in social media.
Ah, another misogynistic comment.
I admit that I like the way I looked in my blues with a skirt and low heels. Of course, I was very thin back then, but I looked good. Mr Giggles always said so
BUT did you have to be in heels to feel feminine and sexy?
Nope! I did that with my civilian clothes
What gets me is some having this notion that women should only look pretty for the men.
I wonder why the opposite is not true for these people. They are usually fat slobs that have never taken care of themselves at all.
Probably why they are so misogynistic as most women wouldn't touch them with a ten foot pole.
Ya!!!!! Exactly!
I'd love to see a picture of these men! (Actually maybe not! LOL)
Only if you really need to lose weight...because then you will lose your lunch
I've actually seen a picture of one of these 'men'. Not at all attractive (not that that matters so much) except when the inside is ugly too.
NOT ATTRACTIVE AT ALL.
There is a lot of misogynistic comments in the comments but they are being overlooked. You know who you are
Ignore them
One of them is still living in the 1950s in more ways than one.
I wonder if he made his wives wear high heels and pearls while they vacuumed
... and a French-maid uniform!
Wow is all I can say. So women can only be ornamental and support?
Didn't know we had a couple of incels on the site.
In all their glory.
Can you be an incel if you've had 2 wives?
In his case... yeah, sure!
Oh ya!
They want women to look a certain way but you can bet, they never measure up (the 'man' that is).
This is how heels in the military should be worn and by the gender that seems to think marching in high heels is cool.
But he made those heels look good!
That could be pretty exciting to those stuck in the 1950s.