Are women strong enough to carry the gear and weapons required of a seal
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — G.I. Jane
IndaChood — 15 years ago(May 24, 2010 09:40 PM)
Ok I imagine these guys have to carry a massive amount of gear and weaponry every mission they go on. Could a woman of Demi Moore's short thin physique ever be able to build enough muscle in order to keep up with her male counterparts in real life?
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gabby_bm — 15 years ago(July 19, 2010 04:26 AM)
The musculature of women is quite different. My wife is thin, but I have no doubt she could haul that equipment and then some. I can't speak for Demi Moore, but she looks quite fit in the movie.
I don't need you to tell me how good my coffee is.
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cmap2 — 13 years ago(May 07, 2012 04:49 PM)
No. No chance in hell. Men are bigger, stronger, and faster, and women's bodies require double the amount of essential body fats as men. The male body requires a minimum 3-5% essential body fats, the female body requires at least 8-12%. Those are biological realities, unvarnished by political correctness. This fantasy that women can serve in the same physical capacities as men is just that - a fantasy.
To put things in perspective and underline the physical disparity between the sexes, the fastest woman in human history was Florence Griffith-Joyner, who holds the women's world record in the 100 meter dash at 10.49. That's not enough to put her anywhere near the fastest 100 times run by
boys
. Not juniors, much less men, but simply
boys
, the fastest of whom have run the 100 in between 10.23 and 10.27 seconds, a full .20+ seconds faster than the fastest woman in human history, which is light years in track & field. To sum it up, the fastest woman ever would not even be among the fastest boys. (Meanwhile, the fastest men's 100 times are almost a full second ahead of the fastest women's.)
The disparity is even more pronounced with regard to strength. The world record for the bench press (unequipped) is 715 pounds by Scott Mendelson at a body weight of 315. The women's world record for the bench press (unequipped) is 391 by Roberta Collins at a body weight of 353. What's more, only 8 women in history have done a 300+ unequipped bench press, while you can go to your local gym at pretty much anytime of day and find an average Joe doing a 300+ bench.
Navy SEALs have to carry between 80-120 pounds of gear while patrolling the most taxing terrains imaginable and are required to be in peak male physical condition in all phases - strength, speed, agility, endurance, swimming, etc. These guys are the absolute fittest of the fit of the male population. The idea that a woman is physically capable of meeting the requirements to be a Navy SEAL is as absurd and biologically impossible as her playing middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears. -
Sidewindr — 10 years ago(November 05, 2015 09:44 PM)
Who cares about world records etc. only a very very small percentage of the entire population are capable of world record feats. It makes no difference what sex a person is if they are able to perform the required functions of a job then there is NO reason for that person not to be considered for that job.
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dddmi7-1 — 13 years ago(January 05, 2013 06:49 PM)
I knew a few women in the Navy that were strong enough. I have no idea if they would be mentally tough enough to pass BUDS. But I would have to say, after serving for 23 years, there would be very few women that could pass the training. As for serving in a position where dismemberment or death is almost a certainty: you have to ask Congress and the American People if they are ready to send women into full combat.
They do it in Israelnot sure we'll ever be ready for that. -
Ithilfaen — 13 years ago(February 24, 2013 09:46 PM)
Real question is: are most men? Because all the couch potatoes, heroes in their heads that they are, who complain about the movie being unbelievable probably couldn't. So my point is: gender is irrelevant. Some men can. Why wouldn't some women be able to?
For every lie I unlearn I learn something new - Ani Difranco -
Sidewindr — 10 years ago(November 05, 2015 09:41 PM)
The problem is people keep using the terms men and women as well as comparing the sexes.. They should be thinking in terms of "person" and if any person proves capable enough to do a job then it makes no difference what sex they are.
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YetTheSoulObeys — 12 years ago(May 02, 2013 09:36 AM)
I am smaller than she is and I can throw 115 pounds of girl over my head single-handedly in cheerleading, and then hold her there with a smile on my face. It's not just muscle that counts, it's adrenaline and determination. Size doesn't matter either; my brother is as thin as can be, but he's solid muscle and he can lift twice as much at the gym as some of the guys on steroids that look like Jonny Bravo. I believe if you are determined enough, you can accomplish anything.
I'll treat you the same way you treat me you're call.
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joekill162 — 12 years ago(August 30, 2013 07:44 PM)
Re: Are women strong enough to carry the gear and weapons required of a seal
Real question is, would a women be strong enough to carry a navy seal, or a VIP, on her shoulder/back if he was injured and unable to walk, to an extraction point, all special forces boot camp practice carrying their fellow soldier in the field, but then again you don't really that many female EMT. -
YetTheSoulObeys — 12 years ago(September 02, 2013 06:47 PM)
I weigh about 110 pounds and in cheerleading I could throw girls that are bigger than me over my head without any help. And we usually would practice for at least two hours so yeah, next question.
I'll treat you the same way you treat me your call. -
abark — 12 years ago(October 21, 2013 11:14 AM)
You are being helped by the girl you were lifting. I can guarantee if they were not jumping up off the ground and using momentum you would not be able to lift them over your head.
Lifting a cooperative person is not the same as dead lifting a limp body or carrying a pack laden with gear for 24 hours. -
YetTheSoulObeys — 12 years ago(October 27, 2013 07:16 PM)
Actually they weren't. For one stunt she went from standing while we held her up, down into the splits, and I had to catch all her weight, well the other girls still held her feet, and then I had to throw her back up to standing. In another one, she was horizontal, the rest of the girls held her feet while I held her back, and I had to throw her into standing. Not to mention I carry a bookbag that people twice my size find heavy every single day. I think it was like 30 to 40 pounds; not 100 but still, my back is solid muscle.
I'll treat you the same way you treat me your call. -
gaylordsmythe-higglebott — 10 years ago(September 19, 2015 09:50 PM)
I talked to a non-military EMT during career day. She was a tiny thing. 5'1". Part of her job was to extract injured people from crawl spaces that the rest of the team might get stuck in. She has hauled out people tipping the scales at 300.
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venanttout — 10 years ago(December 22, 2015 08:45 AM)
Most women can't do physically what an average man can, and what the few best strong women can do, men athlete can do better.
Exept in a PC world, there are no interest to put a woman in en elite troop. Period.
And in Isreal, women units are NOT in front line troops or direct firefight. They know better.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/may/25/womens-combat-roles-in-israel-defense-forces-exagg/?page=all -
gaylordsmythe-higglebott — 10 years ago(January 12, 2016 08:40 AM)
a) Yes, and other men can lift more than other men. Shall we bar those men? No. We give them a test and if them meet the requirements, they are in. Why shouldn't we do the same for women?
b) I never mentioned Isaeli troops, but since you bring it up, those women (and men, both units mentioned are co-ed) have been declared qualified for combat. That means potentially they can and will be sent into heavy combat. The rest of the article is politics.
My question after reading it is are there no all male units in Israel who have only seen similar levels of combat? Because this article is more U.S. representative saying we will do better when we integrate and one Israeli guy saying we are boned if we let woman enter any higher in our armed forces. I mean, we aren't told if the tank training vote failed by a wide or narrow margin. The people who decide things like this may be way more divided on the issue then you are presenting.