The Right Stuff (a 2nd woman's perspective)

I've long wanted to respond to this post:
http://www.theoryspot.com/forums/cid...n-raiding.html
but have not taken the time to do so.

I'll start with some background first: I was raised Baptist, I went to many different schools due to my parent's multiple marriages and divorces (only once to each other). At the age of 18 my father kicked me out of the house. I'd saved a few thousand dollars for college but I was told I would not be supported or helped with education beyond high school. I had few options so I went to live with my mom (she was on probation for robbing a bank, another story). I started to visit the Air Force recruiter. I qualified for a job in the Air Force that was critically manned, that of linguist. This was in 1991, at the time women were not allowed to serve in combat, they could not fly on combat aircraft or be in combat units. The truth is women have served in combat ever since people have been fighting wars. Some of that has changed but there are still limits and barriers that exist. One of my biggest impressions on how women in military are viewed, while I attended a multi-service language school Air Force women were referred to as 'Marine mattresses.' I was told, while in language school, that I should give up my aspirations, get married and have children. /sigh Despite the very negative treatment women received I loved being in the military, I served 11.5 years, but again perceptions and good ole boy attitudes limit the exceptional women who dare to challenge a belief system. The negative attitude I portrayed was probably the worst of what I saw, for the most part I was treated very well and respected.

I met my husband in technical school, he was army and we had little hope of being stationed together. He went to an armored calvary unit in Germany, while I finished up my training and started my first tour in England. We married in England and will celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary in a few days.

During the post-Desert Storm period our bases closed and we got slotted to be stationed in Arizona. We were based 70 miles apart but not in different countries this time . I was based in a combat unit. I was to fly on C-130's. I spent 3.5 weeks in survival school, basic training is a joke compared to survival school. I learned so much about myself and how to deal with impossible situations during that time than any other in my life. Graduating survival school was a huge deal for me, it was the most mentally and physically demanding experience I'd ever been through, and this wasn't even the real thing.

Me on the left:



I had my chance to serve in combat during the Serbo-Croatian crisis. I flew over 350 hours and 29 combat missions. This was the peak of my air force career. I remember being the 2nd plane from our unit to fly our zone. There is no feeling like it. There just isn't.

Me on the left (on the way home from deployment):



I left the Air Force shortly after 9/11/2001. My daughter was born on 9/15/2001, 4 days after the event. I was still active duty Air Force and my entire world view had changed the moment she was born. I had 6 weeks maternity leave and then I had to return to work. I was also due to leave the military in 6 months, it didn't look like it was going to happen. On the one hand I felt that being a new mom should grant me special privileges, on the other hand I questioned why my life was any more valuable than the next man/woman out there serving their country. I was allowed to be discharged.

Yay for Veteran's benefits, I finally went to college. I applied and was accepted to an acclerated nursing degree program, finishing a BSN, RN in 18 months. Let me tell you going from a male dominated field to a female dominated field was some big ass culture shock. It's amusing to me now when I'm on the job I get these old guys who served the military and immediately we form a bond when they find out I too served. I can get them to do things other nurses can't for their own benefit just because of that common background.

Now back to gaming. WoW is the first video game I've played since Pac Man. I never really aspired to join a guild, I never even dreamed of walking into an instance with 40 other strangers. Being a female in-game has its privileges. I usually get what I want, is it because I'm a respected player, because of my gender, or because the people I hang with are generous, or because I work my ass off to get what I want? Who knows?

I have to address the premises.

I've come into my own as far as WoW goes. I don't aspire to be the best, but I'd say I'm above average and I'm okay with that.

Hrm...the sex object thing, yeah I get flirted with and I receive unsolicited comments. Here's my thing, I allow this to happen because sometimes I'm just as bad. I see no reason why women cannot be strong and embrace their femininity. Here is a little known tactic I use on my male patients when they are giving my a hard time and yes it is totally manipulative on my part: I lean over and let the front of my scrub shirt hang down. It distracts them, it weakens their resistance, I get them to do whatever it is I want them to do for their own health benefit. To me it's a win/win situation, but I know some women would label this as 'demeaning' and that I'm perpetuating the sex object mentality women are subjected to. Well guess what ladies, we're all sexual beings, might as well embrace it. Granted there are appropriate and inappropriate ways to use it, you have to judge for yourself. I think part of this is related to being an ugly duck as I was growing up, now I tend to enjoy some attention as long as it doesn't cross the line.

Do I work harder to prove myself? I think in the past I have. In previous guilds there was a good ole boy attitude that I had to work around. In my current guild I'm accepted for who I am and my ability to tank or dps. Whichever role I fill I instill confidence in my group so that we can get down to business.

I have a varied background. I've mostly positive experiences in real life and in WoW. I think most of the people I play with don't view me first as female and secondly as a decent player, but I could be wrong. I know the issues stated are many times true, they don't always hold true for me and for that I am thankful.

Keza