Gendered Bodies and the U.S. Military: Exploring the Institutionalized Regulation of Bodies

ii Acknowledgement I would like to first communicate the high esteem I hold for the University of New Orleans' Sociology Department in general. My understanding of the social world has been expanded and my longstanding academic curiosities have been nurtured. For these reasons, I am especially grateful. In particular, I would like to thank the chair of this thesis, Dr. Susan Mann, who consistently astonished me with the wealth of time she devoted to helping me, her incredible historical knowledge, and her teaching style which is both instructive and empowering. Thanks, also, to Dr. D'Lane Compton for all of the discussions and feedback pertaining to this project and the countless ways her instruction has helped me throughout my time in the program. I would like to thank Dr. Vern Baxter for serving on this committee and for rejuvenating my appreciation and understanding of social theory. Additionally, I would like to thank Dr. Pam Jenkins for the fresh insights into research and applied sociology and Dr. Rachel Luft who made an impression on me that I will not soon forget. Abstract This thesis supplements existing literature by examining the relationship between institutional regulations and gendered assumptions about bodies. This thesis draws from feminist social constructionist perspectives and gendered organizational theories to explore the role of gendered body assumptions in the organizational framework of a hypermasculine political institution. Using the U.S. military as an illustrative example, this thesis studies military policies and rationales historically, focusing on the post-Vietnam accelerated inclusion of women, the increasing use of combat as a divisive component, and the gendered structural elements that are used to determine physical competence. Findings coincide with existing literature and suggest that social meanings relating to gender are a prominent influence in U.S. military policy historically and contemporarily, even when biological reasons are cited as justification. This research provides implications for understanding institutional, strategic use of gender and provides analysis of how physical bodies and accompanying social meanings are impacted by institutional goals.