Last year, Hegseth introduced new sex-neutral fitness standards that sought to eliminate sex-based grading for combat soldiers on the military’s physical fitness exam. That exam includes a 3-mile run, push-ups or pull-ups, and an abdominal plank. When the standards were announced, some analysts worried it could lead to fewer women enlisting.
But a new report from The War Horse, a nonprofit newsroom, suggests that Hegseth’s new standards were not making the military more masculine, as he seemed to hope. The report found that 90% of female Marines in combat roles who took the fitness test passed or exceeded expectations.
The goal was to have women fail the physical fitness exam because they think women are inherently less fit than men across the board.
Idk, I would say setting lower standards for women is thinking ‘women are inherently less fit than men’ tho.
I’d be curious to know if it was lower standards or different standards before this change.
20+ years ago (so, grain of salt), the minimums on the fitness tests were different for men and women. Also for service members over a certain age.