In class, my Professor stated "Women suffer the most from war" Do you agree?

Question

I am taking a class in feminism and it's not what you would call a male bashing class. We talk about everything from issues of gender, to race, to homosexuality across cultures and continents. Well somehow we got on the issue of war in class, and my Professor told us that women suffer the most from war. I believe that everyone suffers in a war, but I never really thought about it from a feminist perspective...because i've never really thought of myself as a feminist. Anyway, she says that women suffer rape, murder, and degradation during a war....and she quoted the whole concept of "to the victor goes the spoils." What do you think? Do you agree with her?

Answer 1

In any social science class, if my professor told me ANYTHING I would agree with it. And be sure to respond accordingly in class, in essays and papers.

That's how people get A's in those classes. Generally, independent thought is not accepted.

This is the kind of statement that states an opinion as a fact. Quoting some person who says "to the victor go the spoils" does not mean that it's true that to the victor go the spoils. Clausewitz said war is essentially an extension of foreign policy by an alternative means - does that make it true? Hitler said some things about war - that does not make it true either.

Everybody suffers in war - to say women suffer more than men, or children minimizes the suffering of everybody else. Better to simply say that everybody suffers to some degree - some persons more than others. Nothing gained by saying women suffer more, blacks or Hispanics suffer more, republicans suffer more, old people suffer more, etc.

Answer 2

that is a good question.. I'm not really sure of the answer. In a way, I can kind of see your profs way of thinking because if you think about it... like women in the other country might suffer through rape, they may bear children that these soldier men are not going to take care of, they may face degradation, but also on the flip side, the women in the states that are married or dating these male soldiers are here taking care of the children by themselves, suffering loneliness without their mate here, then there are a bunch of single child bearing aged women without mates because so many single child bearing age men are in the war or have already been killed as a result of the war. Then when the soldiers come back a lot of them are injured, have post traumatic syndrome and other issues and the females usually end up taking care of them weither it is the mother, sister, wife or girl friend which is a form of suffering and a burden for some. But, the soldiers them selves are the ones who are putting their lives on the line, they are facing the risk, they are dealing with the bombs, the guns, noxious gases, the heat they have the most stress so they are suffering as well. They are the ones who suffer with an amputated limb, coming back to the states not being able to do the things they used to, or even coming back home to things that are much different than when they left. Some might comeback and not be able to do the same work they used to, which is stressful. I think all involved suffer, in different ways, but to say women suffer more than men.. I really can't agree with that.

Answer 3

This is the kind of statement that states an opinion as a fact. Quoting some person who says "to the victor go the spoils" does not mean that it's true that to the victor go the spoils. Clausewitz said war is essentially an extension of foreign policy by an alternative means - does that make it true? Hitler said some things about war - that does not make it true either.

Everybody suffers in war - to say women suffer more than men, or children minimizes the suffering of everybody else. Better to simply say that everybody suffers to some degree - some persons more than others. Nothing gained by saying women suffer more, black

Answer 4

Yes , I do agree! Women are the "weaker vessels" as opposed to men. Because of the Catastrophic effects of war many women are forced to raise Fatherless Children, and at the same time are dealing with the Mental, Socioeconomic,etc sufferings that come with being a widow.
If it were the other way around and women had to go to war , men could always find employment and thus survive in an otherwise crippling situation.

Answer 5

This is the kind of statement that states an opinion as a fact. Quoting some person who says "to the victor go the spoils" does not mean that it's true that to the victor go the spoils. Clausewitz said war is essentially an extension of foreign policy by an alternative means - does that make it true? Hitler said some things about war - that does not make it true either.

Everybody suffers in war - to say women suffer more than men, or children minimizes the suffering of everybody else. Better to simply say that everybody suffers to so

Answer 6

Yes, other than those you stated, in war, women, lose their sons, brothers and husbands, so the family structure that women strive so hard to maintain is infiltrated. Women have withstood degradation, women have withstood rape, hell, women have even welcomed death, but the loss war causes to women goes so much deeper than it being a gender, race, homosexuality, culture or continent thing, no matter what a woman will be a woman and as with everything else she carries on her shoulders, she has also endured the almighty "war". As most wars are the result of MEN, there is no wonder that the one that brings about the tools (people) to be used in wars, she suffers the most. Ironic isn't it.

Answer 7

Everybody suffers from war however I once watched a movie called Casualties of War. It was based on a true story. That movie made me ill. And while I like to watch movies over again that is the first movie ever that I know I will never watch again. Good actors, awful story. So I agree with your professor. "Women suffer the most from war."

Answer 8

I think it is actually the children who suffer the most, because they are the least equipped to emotionally handle the physical abuse and emotional devastation. As for rape and murder, well those things can happen to men as well, I think most men are more ...inventive shall we say when it comes to torturing women. But there are less women that actually go to war so I do not see how your professor says they suffer the most. With post traumatic stress disorder, loss of limb and witnessing loss of life on a constant basis while trying not to get killed and being responsible for their mates life as well, I think actually the soldiers that fight the war , no matter what gender they are, suffer the most from war.

Answer 9

the children who suffer the most, because they are the least equipped to emotionally handle the physical abuse and emotional devastation. As for rape and murder, well those things can happen to men as well, I think most men are more ...inventive shall we say when it comes to torturing women. But there are less women that actually go to war so I do not see how your professor says they suffer the most. With post traumatic stress disorder, loss of limb and witnessing loss of life on a constant basis while trying not to get killed and being responsible for their mates life as well, I think actually the soldiers that fight the war , no matter what gender they are, suffer the most from war.

Answer 10

Nope, because in war, everybody suffers. There is no such thing as only women suffer the most from war. Your professor might have said that women suffer the most from war because many women in world war 2 were treated like sex slaves for the japanese.