Föreställningen om macho-soldaten utmanas. En kvalitativ studie om hur den könsneutrala allmänna värnplikten förhåller sig till jämställdhet inom den svenska försvarsmakten

Abstract

The aim of this essay is to examine how and if the gender-neutral conscription has influenced equality within the Swedish armed forces, by examining and conducting semistructured interviews with both women and men who have completed or are still enlisted within the military service. Through a thematic analysis, several contradictions have been found. Despite the fact that conscription is generally perceived as a positive experience regarding equality, women still experience sexism, lack of respect and fall victim to exterior heteronormative beliefs. Even though the SAF encourages women in military positions, the study argues that women do not have the same opportunities as men in terms of physical requirements and material needs. The study also found hidden agendas that can be harmful to gender equality in the organization. However the progress is unnecessarily slow, due in large parts to masculine hegemony and the inability to accommodate both individual and collective needs. From a critical feminist theoretical framework the conscription has had a positive impact on gender equality. Although, another finding is that gender equality for men is rarely discussed. This essay therefore contributes to a new perspective by demonstrating that men also fall victim to the gender order and that gender equality in general is hard to achieve without gender equity.