Perception as a similarity can be very dangerous. But, sometimes it’s not our fault. We learn and relate to our schemes. As a children we learn games. My son’s favorite is to hide and yell “BOO!” when you walk by. Do this enough, in the same corner of the house, and not only you but the child will become classically conditioned to assume this action will happen. Which is what I sort of faced while in the military.

It’s no secret that the military is a predominately male oriented and that women are seen as the weaker race. Doesn’t make it true, but that is how a good percentage of men see the female role. As I was arriving to my first unit, there were 5 women there. All of but one, have caused issues. Three have broken up marriages, and one would make the work environment unbearable. Needless to say that when I arrived many of the personal had already began to group me with many of the other women already there; before even really knowing me.

I was not one of them; it took them 6 months of “acceptance” and lots of name calling before many of them began to realize this. During those 6 months they would assume that because I would spend time with some of my colleges, that I was sexually involved with them. And if you were seen with more than one, then you must have really been getting around.

In my opinion it wasn’t fair. I couldn’t do anything about it but I was sure to nota add fuel to their fire. It wasn’t my fault and as much as I want to blame the personal at my unit. I couldn’t. It was these women, they created this stereotype and made everyone else after them assume the worst out of women in the military. Because if it looks like a rose and it smells like a rose it definitely must be a rose. I was just happy to have been able to transfer and have my colleges not perceive me the same way as they did when I first arrived.