The main goal for any military is to defeat enemies and to protect its country. Achieving those goals often requires masculine traits like stoicism, bravery, resilience, aggression, and physical dominance. The Biden administration encouraged initiatives that prioritized inclusivity and diversity rather than prioritizing meritocracy, which would ensure the military was strong and effective. How does encouraging and restoring masculinity make our military better? Let’s play “two truths and a lie” to learn!
A. Men are biologically “built” for warfare.
B. Women are vital to military operations and are able to go places and do things men simply cannot.
C. Traits like assertiveness, competitiveness, stoicism, and resilience are signs of toxic masculinity.
Let’s take these statements one at a time:
A. TRUTH! Men’s dominance in warfare is rooted in psychology and physiology, not just historical tradition. Their “fight-or-flight” stress response and ability to suppress fear align with the demands of combat, where hesitation can be fatal. Historically, military training hones this into a “Warrior Mindset,” channeling men’s aggression into disciplined actions. Studies show this trait enhances performance under fire.
The military’s core mission is to ensure national security by defeating enemies with overwhelming force. Historically, men have been the primary warriors; their physical toughness, aggression, dominance, and stoicism are seen as vital to battlefield victory. From ancient Sparta—where boys were forged into fighters—to medieval knights bound by chivalric duty, societies have built men for war, a role reinforced by their biology fueled by higher testosterone and endurance.
B. TRUTH! Cultural Support Teams (CST) and Female Engagement Teams (FET) are examples of how women can help the military in ways that men cannot. The CST program was launched by the United States Army Special Operations Command. The CST aimed to enlist and equip female operators with specialized skills to bolster Special Operations Forces (SOF) missions. Women make up half of the population in the Middle East. There, cultural norms often bar local women from engaging with predominantly male SOF units. Often, SOF operators were not able to develop trust and gain intelligence in many Middle Eastern communities because of the rules around gender roles. Female CSTs were able to gain access to vital information from these areas that men simply could not.
C. LIE! The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) framework characterizes masculine attributes as inherently toxic and problematic. Assertiveness is necessary for strong leadership and clarity of command. Competitiveness is crucial for driving excellence and continuous improvement. Stoicism is vital for maintaining composure and decision-making under pressure. Resilience is necessary to push through fear, pain, and exhaustion.
Bottom Line:
The men are inherently built to become elite warriors and are physically and mentally able to withstand the pressure that combat brings. Women can serve in vital military roles but not at the risk of lowering standards and the meritocracy that the military should maintain to ensure effective lethality.
To learn more, read the Policy Focus: The Role of Masculinity in Military Effectiveness and Lethality