Selective Service Registration

[gestyr]

For many years it has been accepted that women and men are equal both de facto and de jure. Given this, why are women not required to register for the Selective Service at age 18 as men are?

[Chemiker]

It seems like historically civil rights have been given to excluded groups because they insisted on getting them. I can't see any group insisting on being given the right to be drafted into the military.

[RedJeepXJ]

I'd suppose the same reason why men are excluded from federal anti genital mutilation laws that apply only to women..........

it's just protecting the status quo whether it's right or wrong and few are willing to start an unfavorable battle

[HiHood]

When I became of draft age, I registered for the draft. I personally don't like the idea, (although I have no daughters) that women should be a party to it. I'm not saying that others are wrong in wanting females in the army trenches, tanks and what not. I just think it ALL should be volunteer and more appealing to make people of age want to enlist without being forced.

[rivalarrival]

The main reason is that it hasn't been sent to trial, and it hasn't been sent to trial because there hasn't been a draft, thus nobody is technically harmed by the inequality in selective service registration.

Federal Code still defines the militia as all able-bodied males in the US, regardless of citizenship status, from 18 to 45 years of age, plus all members (male and female) of the armed forces. (I'm paraphrasing...) I'd think that definition would need to be updated.

[gestyr]

Originally Posted by Chemiker

It seems like historically civil rights have been given to excluded groups because they insisted on getting them. I can't see any group insisting on being given the right to be drafted into the military.

I would not classify being drafted as a "right", more as a way of the State trying to enforce citizen responsibility.

[rivalarrival]

Originally Posted by gestyr

I would not classify being drafted as a "right", more as a way of the State trying to enforce citizen responsibility.

If and when there is another draft, expect the sexual discrimination complaint to come up. The law has been changed to recognize that female volunteers are members of the militia.

Frankly, though, I'd hope that we would avoid the need for another draft. The lesser of the two evils here seems to be keeping the archaic law on the books.

There are all sorts of good reasons why the judicial branch shouldn't be proactive on addressing the law, and should not be permitted to intercede without actual harm being caused. In the legislature, it would be nothing but a political hornet's nest, stinging everyone anywhere near it.