The Sexualization of Female Soldiers in the Israeli Army: A Qualitative Analysis

Background: Military structures are compelling contexts for studying gender and sexuality. Research on the military suggests that it tends to be a very masculine structure, in which women's experiences are often marginalized. Research suggests that the military serves to reinforce hegemonic masculinity (Enloe, 1983) and stigmatize femininity (Williams, 1989), and that militarism is closely related to “hierarchies of gender, sexuality, and nation” (Adelman, 2003). Further, Sasson-Levy (2002) argues that masculinity is inextricably linked with good citizenship, specifically in Israel, where military conscription is mandatory for men and women. A debate exists about whether female inclusion in the Israeli army serves to equalize citizenship between men and women, or rather, to reify masculine concepts of citizenship. While limited research in the US and Israel has explored the relationship between gender and the military, this study expands the current literature by examining sexuality, in addition to gender, in the Israeli army. Method: In-depth, semi-structured, qualitative interviews were conducted in Hebrew with 24 Israeli female undergraduates aged 21-32 (all Jewish, primarily Ashkenazi and heterosexual) in a large city in Israel. Participants were asked about their experiences with their army service, particularly in terms of their gender and sexuality. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and translated into English for analysis. Analytical memos were written after each interview. A process of open and focused coding (Emerson, Fretz, & Shaw, 1995) was used to analyze these data. Results: This data shows that participants experienced their army tenure as gendered and sexualized beings, and felt this could not be separated from the rest of their identities. Rather, they described this sexualization as the main, and sometimes only, category by which they were identified. For these women, the Israeli army engendered a space in which both men and women were encouraged to act out gendered stereotypes: men were rewarded for being strong aggressors, and women were rewarded for being nurturing and pretty. This created two, very different, sets of hierarchies, and two separate currencies. Implications: Results indicate that women experience differential treatment and devaluation compared to men in the Israeli army. Women are viewed primarily as feminized or sexual objects, and thus objectified and marginalized. While men are primarily valued for their abilities as soldiers and warriors, women are more likely to be evaluated by their sexual attractiveness to men or “date-ability.” This gendered dichotomy also reinforces heteronormativity and marginalizes individuals who do not identify as heterosexual. This study has implications for social work in Israel and beyond. Social work educators in Israel may need to better address issues of sexual and gender inequality, including heteronormativity and power differentials between men and women, with students. This is particularly salient for social work practitioners working directly in the Israeli army. Findings suggest a need for further research examining the sexual implications of women in the Israeli army, and for gendered and sexual relations in civilian society. Further research would benefit from exploring the potential generalizability of these findings to military environments in other countries.