Originally published at Bitch Flicks. Cross-posted with permission.| Warning: Spoilers ahead! Driven, relentless, bad-ass women in film always hold a special place in my heart. Ripley from Alien and Aliens, Patty Hewes from Damages, Carrie Mathison from Homeland. Maya, the female protagonist of Zero Dark Thirty, is no exception. But can a film be feminist [...]
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“The Invisible War” — Documentary Spotlighting Rape in the Military Aims to Create National Awareness
“If this is happening to me, I can’t be the only one.” That epiphany is shared in the new documentary, The Invisible War, which takes an in-depth look at the impunity with which rape in the military is handled. Directed by Kirby Dick, it was recently featured at the Human Rights Watch Film Festival, where it garnered the [...]
“It’s More Dangerous to be A Woman than a Soldier in Modern Conflict”
I remember reading these words at a Women to Women International meeting a few years ago. They were spoken by Patrick Cammaert, the Deputy Force Commander of the United Nations Mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo, in 2008, who said “It is probably more dangerous to be a woman than to be a soldier in modern [...]
Does Having More Women in the Security Sector Make a Difference? On Sex and the Secret Service
The recent Secret Service scandal has gotten many people – from political operatives to Congresswomen – calling for the inclusion of more women in the Secret Service and other such security forces. What never fails to amaze me in the aftermath of such issues is how verbal and public so many men are with their sexism. [...]
Warriors & Peacemakers: Innovative PBS Documentary Series ‘Women, War and Peace’ Explores Women’s Role in Conflict
As crystallized in the coverage of the North African revolutions, journalists, media pundits and the public often forget women’s participation in conflict and security. When people discuss war, they often don’t take women or gender into account. Women become the forgotten collateral. Yet they consistently play a pivotal role. Women govern and lead their communities, [...]
What’s Next for Women and the Arab Spring
Revolutions have consequences. Since the beginning of the year, we’ve seen longstanding and repressive regimes fall in North Africa, and continuing protests across the Middle East and Gulf. In real time, we are watching people struggle with how to structure new institutions, build democratic governments and rebuild (or build) a non-governmental civil society. They are [...]
A Letter to the Navy: Let’s Make a Deal
Dear U.S. Navy: A long time ago, I dedicated my life to public service. Having spent time in both the government and nonprofit sectors, the time will come soon for me to consider joining our armed forces. It’s been in the back of my mind for a few years now. I spent time on Capitol [...]
Did You Hear About the Rear Admiral?
It happened months ago, and yet, I wouldn’t be surprised if I wasn’t the only one who hadn’t yet heard. With the distressed economy at home and the political unrest abroad, it would have been an easy announcement to miss. But it shouldn’t have been. This past June, Rear Admiral Sandra L. Stosz became the [...]
Victims or Agents? Carla Koppell on the 100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day
Anybody who pays even the slightest attention to the world around them has a right to sometimes be a little confused about the lives women lead. In America, we see news about women earning more Bachelor’s degrees than men while simultaneously being bombarded with words and images that portray women as mindless sex objects. Internationally, [...]
Women, Security, and the Sudan Referendum
This week, voters are flooding the polls in Sudan to vote on a referendum to allow the South to secede and form its own, independent country. Despite concerns of violence and unrest, the vote has been largely peaceful and is expected to yield a victory for the independence movement. However, despite the success so far, [...]