An Intersectional Analysis of Women's Experiences of Inclusion in the United States Army

Abstract

In 2016, the United States Army removed its ban on women working in combat roles in previously reserved jobs for men. This policy change included a concerted effort by Army leadership to ensure women felt included in their new roles. Nevertheless, the immediate response to the policy changes led to mixed results in translating and implementing these new policies. This study takes qualitative data from a study on diversity and inclusion policy and practices to investigate women’s experiences working in various roles in 2019. We collected qualitative data from 19 focus groups and 120 soldiers in 2019 from four Army installations across the United States. An inductive analysis of focus group interviews revealed three major themes: social exclusion due to gender, updated policies to include women, sexism, and gender harassment. Since inclusion is an interpersonal experience, the themes were analyzed through an intersectional template to see if race and rank also played a role in women's experiences in combat roles. These findings provide a more nuanced and lived experience perspective on being a woman serving in combat in the United States Army.