Over the past few months there has been a lot of focus on the bias women in the Marine Corps face throughout their careers and the subsequent attitude that they are unable and unexpected to fulfill the same standards as male Marines. Indeed, this is a kind of sexism has existed since women have started serving in the United States military, despite proof that refutes nearly every argument against their service. Yet a form of sexism also permeates the Navy.
Sexism is surprisingly, or perhaps unfortunately unsurprisingly, aimed at the men in the Navy. Members of the fleet openly share their opinions when topics such as harassment, assault, and the filming of the female officers in USS Wyoming (SSBN-742) comes up, one reaction is consistently repeated:
“Boys will be boys.”
This is cringe-worthy and should have no place in the Navy.
The phrase seems innocent, especially since practically everyone has heard it and it isn’t used in an accusatory tone. Unfortunately, it serves as a sort of excuse for such behavior.
This is perhaps best illustrated by the Navy Times article on 3 December 2014: “Navy: Women Secretly Filmed in Shower aboard Sub.” The article explains the recent addition of women serving in submarines and the subsequent behavior of the male submariners. During the allotted shower times for women, male personnel would secretly film them undressing and showering. The article quotes the behavior as “criminal activity.” A related post cites Navy attorney LCDR Lee Marsh describing it as “a betrayal of trust” and confirms that the guilty sailors involved received punishments such as dishonorable discharge, time in prison, and loss in rank. Yet, despite this, the victims were “upset with leadership’s handling of the situation, citing a lack of sensitivity toward those affected,” and the online response to the article displayed an alarming amount of victim blaming, as though the sailors who filmed the women were wrongly punished. Although 2/3 of the comments posted in response to the article were divided between “flame wars,” off-topic comments, and defending women’s rights to serve with their male counterparts, out of more than 790 of on line comments, over 250 from retired and active service members and military spouses (around 1/3) insisted that such conduct was “inevitable,” and served as incontrovertible proof that “women have no place on subs.” In essence, these comments were different variations of the phrase “Boys will be boys.”
The expression itself isn’t the be-all end-all of the acceptance of low professional standards for male service members. Other than some of the overtly sexist comments—i.e., that male behavior is the reason “women have no place on subs”—must have not been intentionally malicious. Unfortunately, many of the comments—such as the fact that such behavior was “inevitable,” or that “they should just put all the women on a separate sub,” sum up a discouraging underlying issue. Each comment stating that the behavior was human nature supports an unwillingness to look deeper into the problem or question why lowered expectations for the professional conduct of men in the Navy exists. It excuses males, who are held on a level of basic good order and discipline, for inappropriate behavior.
It may seem a little too easy to apply such a hackneyed phrase to something as disturbing as the secret filming of officers on Wyoming. But, Dr. Elizabeth J. Meyer, psychologist and Professor of Gender and Schooling at California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, points out in Gender and Sexual Diversity in Schools that oversimplifying behavior by excusing sexually harassing acts with the “boys will be boys” mentality is the crux of the issue. The phrase “attempts to explain away aggressive behaviors that a small number [of people] . . . exhibit by linking it with ‘natural’ or ‘biological’ impulses, without examining other reasons.” Worse, Dr. Meyer states that not examining the underlying cause behind such acts “allows harmful behaviors to persist unchecked and possibly worsen over time.” As these behaviors continue, they become associated with masculinity so that men “do very little to challenge the existing patriarchal gender order and thereby reinforce it. They don’t see the harm in how men exercise their male power and often accept it as natural or view harassing behaviors as playful . . . or harmless.” Experienced-based examples are numerous. While from an early start it seemingly is designed to excuse delinquency, it is the mindset that makes it possible for people to believe that ‘boys will be boys’ is the same behavior that, once linked to being male, means that men cannot control their sexual urges, and prevent themselves from raping or videotaping showering women.
In short, it perpetuates the idea that sexual harassment is an inescapable necessary part of manhood, and that men can’t help themselves. It limits our male sailors to an unfair and base level, as if they are incapable of controlling their sex urges to meet mission requirements. This is absolutely not true and is an incredibly demeaning way to view one’s fellow shipmates.
It is important to remember that the problem is not with Navy policy. Those involved with the filming of the officers on Wyoming faced non-judicial punishment, and the Navy’s Equal Opportunity (EO) policy has been in existence for decades. The problem is that degrading behavior is allowed because people can still hide under the excuse that “boys will be boys.” How many of the commenters to the article have actively allowed or participated in “boys will be boys” activities or behaviors because such actions are deemed acceptable among their peers? How many others in that same percentage won’t report that same behavior that debases them, as victims, because they know it won’t be taken seriously by the chain of command? It may seem inconceivable and perhaps trite to believe that the Navy could influence change over this thought, but perhaps it’s time for someone to tell the men of the fleet that they are better than the one-dimensional, sexually driven blank slates that they’ve been told they are.
Good order and discipline have been the cornerstones of our Navy since its founding and excuses for negative behaviors run against the grain of the finest traditions of our Service. We know sexism negatively impacts women’s careers and that great effort has been put forth to level the playing field. However, the conversation needs to shift ever so slightly to include our male shipmates—not for the behaviors that are included in every General Military Training, but for the ones that we’ve come to accept as natural and harmless. We are insulting the professionalism of male sailors by excusing gender-biased behaviors until they become so horrendous the sailors walk themselves into UCMJ charges and formal punishment. The negative effects have been seen in the Navy, psychological studies, and from people’s own personal experiences. EO Policy cannot change this mindset entirely, nor quickly. But some can who make a difference by proving that they will not just “be boys,” but proud Sailors who set examples for their shipmates and the fleet.
