A former Marine reflects on the lasting impact of sexual harassment during her service, highlighting the pervasive culture of sexism and the struggle to own her veteran status. She connects contemporary controversies surrounding women in combat to her own experiences, drawing parallels with the dismissive and hurtful language she endured. The author emphasizes the strength and resilience of the women she served with, advocating for their recognition as veterans who deserve respect and acknowledgment.
It took me 10 years after leaving the military to call myself a veteran. It was an act of reclamation. My enlistment was defined by sexual harassment . More than a decade later, the thinking that caged me then still circulates: Women service members are worth less. As a Marine, I hemorrhaged my own power. I stayed silent at rape jokes and language that made my skin burn. I worked out until I was a sliver of myself.
Pushing through physical pain felt like the only recourse. I knew what was said about women who sought medical care. Weak and faking it and couldn’t hack it lined the path to treatment. My hip did heal. Imperfectly, and only after a decade of yoga and backpacking. I was lucky. To Hegseth I am surely no veteran. I fought no wars. To him, my — incompetent! distracting! — enlistment must be meaningless.
Veteran Sexual Harassment Military Culture Gender Inequality Combat Roles
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