午夜剧场

An article with the somewhat sensational title "Lipstick and Rifles: The Unexpectedness of Female Soldiers" (Asahi Shimbun Digital, August 13, 2022)—triggered by the invasion of Ukraine, the existence of female soldiers has suddenly come into the spotlight recently. Among young men, claims such as "It's strange that feminists advocate for gender equality but do not call for gender equality in military service" have also been seen on social media for some time. To reduce feminists to "women who want to be like men" is, simply put, a misunderstanding, but regarding women's entry into the military, fierce debates have unfolded between feminists who support it and those who are wary of it. The existence of female soldiers, who can appear as either "perpetrators" or "victims" depending on the perspective, has always been a "dilemma" for feminism.

In this book, while showing this complex and diverse relationship between feminism and female soldiers, I have tried to discuss the issue in a way that does not get bogged down in arguments such as "Are female soldiers right or wrong?" On one hand, looking at the phenomenon through their experiences is essential for clarifying the male-centric nature of war and the military. On the other hand, it is necessary to pay attention to what our eyes are being diverted from by being captivated by the number of female soldiers or their spectacular achievements. In the case of Ukraine, the sentiment that "even women are staying in the country to fight" likely served to justify the general mobilization of adult men and to gather international sympathy for Ukraine.

Gender is a cornerstone in promoting militarization and successfully carrying out war. The state relies on the value system that considers men who risk their lives for the country as "masculine," but in doing so, it also appeals to the "femininity" of women. In assigning men and women to specific roles and carrying out war, the cultivation and manipulation of gender values are indispensable.

It has been a full 17 years since my previous book, "Military Organizations and Gender: Women in the Self-Defense Forces" (午夜剧场 Press). I feel as though I have finally submitted a long-standing homework assignment. I will wait for the readers' judgment to see if this book succeeds in persuasively demonstrating that the perspective of gender is indispensable for a critical examination of war and the military.

Fumika Sato

午夜剧场 Press

330 pages, 2,640 yen (tax included)

*Affiliations and titles are those at the time of publication.