It's bad only if men do it

A National Geographic Channel program on “Samurai Warrior Queen” focused on a young woman who fought on the losing side of the 1860s Shogun vs Emperor war. I was struck by the assignment of values, women samurai vs the all-male variety, the latter which apparently did not exist. Previous readings and TV documentaries always spoke of samurai society as repressive, aggressive and homicidal, a culture in which men ruled with iron fist. Women samurai, however, were praised for their devotion to clan and family and their readiness to die for honor.

There is no reason to doubt Japanese women’s role in warrior or wartime society. Archaeologists interviewed in the program noted excavation of several battle sites showed 30 percent of skeletons were of women.

But there is a double standard of things military when women are not believed involved.