"Feminization" and the French Military: An Anthropological Approach

Abstract

This study explores consequences of recent measures of "feminization" in the French armed forces, where conscription remains limited to males. The current situation is not fully egalitarian, but one of minority participation of women in frameworks dominated by men. The first consequence affects relations between the armed forces and the nation: the masculinity of conscription, which has already lost legitimacy due to global changes, is becoming less and less justified because of new military functions assigned to women. In a parallel fashion, the image of military service as a means of initiation is falling into disuse. Another consequence, internal to the armed forces, is the success of certain females in the ranks due to a charismatic type of authority. The military institution, whose model still applies to male enlistees, has difficulty recognizing this phenomenon.