Open letter: Women

The name of the pilot who was flying the DC helo has not been released yet.

Likely because her family is desperately trying to arm themselves against the barage of hate and misinformation about their daughter that will soon be coming amdist their grief.

How many of you have ever felt yourself fumble or stumble when someone was overly examining what you were doing? Imagine if you lived your life with a ton of eyes locked on you every day.

Women are not allowed to blend in. When we report to new units, we know we are being stared at 1000x more.

The opportunity to be left alone and exist is not afforded to us.

We.have.to.think.about.every.move.we.makeand.it.is.exhausting.but.above.all.it.is.distracting

The media is going to blame this woman. You will blame this woman. Then you will passively aggressively blame all women at your unit. Then it will effect how you treat the female soldier in front of you and what kind of mentorship, or lack thereof, she receives.

And she will feel the weight of it. This new bright eyed soldier. Every ounce. That extra weight adds a distraction half the world has never felt when she just wanted to take off lightly and do her job.

Without your gaze Without your judgment or how you feel about your mother, ex-wife, or women in general. Without your threats of assault Without your over eagerness to help because you find her pretty Without your under eagerness to help because you find her ugly Without your looming Without your snickers or locker room talk that she most definitely overhears.

There are some people in the military who demonstrate their inability to adapt whether it be through poor behavior or performance. Men and women.

But men get to separate themselves from the bad male soldiers.

Women soldiers do not. Not when we initially walk in the room. No, we are all that one girl at your one unit that one time until we prove our worthiness to you.

It is exhausting. So.fucking.exhausting.

Love to this crew.