Re: [*FSFFU*] GI Jane -Reply

From: Debra Euler (DEBRA.EULER@PENGUIN.COM)
Date: Fri Sep 05 1997 - 07:50:48 PDT


Marina Yereshenko wrote:
>The whole point of the movie is that an _average_ woman can become a
SEAL, just as well as an average man (after all, none of the guys
looked like Schwatzenegger). All you need is good health and a lot of
will power to go through all this training. And Demi Moore is someone
that most
women could relate to.

I have not seen GI Jane and I have no desire to see it (I can't stand
Demi Moore). But I can't believe that with all this discussion, no
one has made this point: The average man or woman CANNOT become a
Navy SEAL. My dad, who went through the Recon Marine training (they
used much of the SEAL facilities) back when it was even more
difficult than it is now (I believe they had to scale it back because
too many trainees died), laughed hysterically at this movie. You need
a hell of a lot more than good health and lots of will power to go
through the training. You need to be an exceptional athelete, gifted
with weapons, possess extraordinary endurance, have the social ability
necessary to work well as a team, etc. etc. To say that SEAL men
aren't exceptional because they don't look like Arnold
Schwartzenegger is silly, because you're forgetting that Arnold is a
body builder and actor, not a soldier or aerobic athlete. The body
of a competitive swimmer is more the "ideal".

I'm not saying that a woman could not go through the SEAL training.
Just that she'd have to be pretty extraordinary to do so. Saying
that a woman could do so because she "looks tough" or has a lot of
willpower is just foolish.

Can we go back to discussing SF?

Debra Euler



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