Something that bothers me...

[Fellend]

I like how I'm just ignored =P But really, high G's is that something the guard even have to face alot of? with exception to maybe the initial landing they fight on the ground. And once again, on the ground women make for worse soldiers than men.

I'd add that maybe the women are more common in PDF's because they can stay home, breed and still do their duties while the IG goes off world and is more elite (due to more strength)

If nothing else it's basic math, The average male weighs around 85kilos, the average women weighs around 60 kilos, military gear weighs around 30 kilos (probably slightly less as i'd image las cells weighs less than actual bullets) Which means that women are from the start carrying about half their body weight while the men are only carrying 1/3. Does that make a huge difference? Yes yes it does.

[Gooball]

Seriously >.< This has got to be one of the most skewed threads i have ever read.
I've played WoW though so i have seen people get from overpriced items to Chinas economy o.O

[Gnoblar with Pointy Stick]

"Man" is an overarching term for humanity (similar to Mankind).

I FRIGGEN' KNOW THAT. Jeez. Sarcasm....
That would be the most retarded sexist conspiracy ever.
"Let's use an existing piece of terminology to be cruel towards women, but not change it!"
"How will people know if we don't change the term?"
"They wont! That's the beauty!"
'So it's pointless?"
"Yes! We'll just think about the terminology differently, so as to be mean!"

The Imperium isn't necessarily sexist IMO anyway, it's just the (majority of) writers GW employs aren't very good at portraying the universe they talk about save for suped-up superhuman super soldiers Space Marines.

With a great deal of respect, bull-freakin'-sh*t.
The Imperium would exhibit every "ism" and "schism" known to "man"kind. That's kind of the point. I look at the Imperium's struggle in the universe as a people fighting evils that they've brought on themselves with the same evils that got them in trouble in the first place. You know, like the Democratic party in America (not to be confused with its more evil twin, the Republican Party).

Where was I going with this?
Oh, yeah. Regardless of whether or not it's in the fluff, something like the Imperium couldn't exist without being sexist, racist, classist, speciesist, homophobic, heterosexist, pachydermist, genreist, hydrophobic, etc. It's an evil, patriarchal society. I say patriarchal because of the MALE GOD EMPEROR!

Oh, and I too have seen the research you cited Melissia. It's all legit.
I once tried to write a paper on the physiological differences between men and women and their effects on society. It was the hardest paper I've ever written. I read all this stuff in scientific journals like "Men are more sensitive to high temperatures" only to have the next journal say "Men are more sensitive to high temperatures, but only in liquid." By the time I read a research article that said "This just in! Women are more sensitive to high temperatures!" I was like **** this **** and just wrote a paper on ridiculous myths like the aforementioned "detaching Uteri." It's much easier to prove something is wrong in science to prove it is correct.

By the by, what does "IMO" stand for?

[Melissia]

I would actually argue the Imperium couldn't exist without NOT being sexist. The Imperium would need to completely and efficiently utilize the entirety of its population, not just around half.

No, the Imperium isn't sexist. It oppresses both genders equally.

[L192837465]

Bunch of crap

IMO = In My Opinion.

I agree (and I cannot believe I'm saying this) with Melissa. The imperium oppresses everyone equally.

[Fellend]

Well they do opress everyone but not necessarily in the same way.

But I don't think gender equality is something that the Imperium cares about. If you can serve you can serve. Planetary customs might have more varied views however.

[Melissia]

They don't care about gender equality because they don't give a **** what gender you are, so long as you serve the Imperium loyally and aren't caught in the wrong place at the wrong time (which can mean anywhere an Inquisitor decides to show up or pay attention to or send an agent to or... well, anywhere at any time).

[Madness]

Yeah, but still, testosterone is testosterone, hanging out with army buffs is a job for a tough guy, and testosterone helps there.

[therealjohnny5]

i hate to say this as i haven't been following the most recent posts on this thread, so feel free to tell me it's been covered, but while i don't have a problem with the idea of female in the military, in the 40K millennium, it seems like one of two things would happen based on the ridiculous body count that seems to build up. Unless humanity has been genetically altered to be super fertile, then it seems to me either women would out number men and then need to be conscripted into the military or women would have to be forced to basically be breeders right? how else would the imperium manage to maintain the war of attrition they are known for?

[Melissia]

Yeah, but still, testosterone is testosterone, hanging out with army buffs is a job for a tough guy, and testosterone helps there.

I think you don't quite understand testosterone then... both genders require it, and oftentimes the female body produces just as much as the male body. Kinda like how Estrogen is vital in order for an infant male to develop a "male" type brain.