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I don’t know what it’s like for female cadets today, but way back in my day, when dinosaurs roamed the upper quad…
Eh, actually I don’t know if this ever really was a problem at all. I had very little luck with dating, no matter if I wore the uniform or civvies. I was just not the kind of person who attracted a lot of dates. To this day I’m not quite sure how I caught the Hubster’s eye, but he’s still here twenty-some years later and he’s still happy to see me every day, so I must be doing something right.
But seeing this cartoon today makes me wonder. Do people love a gal in uniform? I did my master’s degree thesis on gender stereotypes and leadership roles in the military. Some of what I found in there suggested that the old roles of seductress, iron maiden, pet and mother still applied. Women had to fit on of these four roles to have a place in the military, otherwise they had no place at all. But a lot of what I found told me that women in the military weren’t running into these gender stereotypes all that often, so I have no conclusive evidence one way or the other on the subject. For my own part, when I was in the military, I was treated like a person, not a stereotype. I did my job to the best of my ability and the people around me treated me with respect. When I was in the Cadet Corps, I was treated as a geek, which I was, and I wasn’t all that popular, but that was no big shock to me because I was seen as a geek in high school and I was treated the same way there too. So, whatever.
If anybody currently in the VTCC, or anybody who was in the VTCC at any time, has any thoughts on this, I’d love to hear them. Post comments here on the blog or email me. Thanks! Oh, and Happy Halloween!
During new cadet week (this year) they sat all of the new cadet females down together to talk about “female stuff” the guys had a separate one and I was in the group with our Cadet Command Sergent Major and she point blank said there is a saying that the male civilians have that is if she shines the brass don’t tap that ass. Talking to my male buds they were told the same thing also the only female freshman who seem to be dating someone came in to VT already dating that person. Or at least that is what it seems like. Hope that helps
Susan,
Sorry I took so long to reply! I’ve been off my feet since I tore my ACL two months ago. I had not heard that saying before, so I wonder if it’s something that came up in the last decade or so. I’ve been out a loooooooooong time. I did date during my cadet years, and in my senior year I met the guy I have been married to for the last 19 years. Of course, he was a civilian, and the uniform didn’t seem to bother him in the least.
Thanks for the info on current cadet dating habits!