PhD Ceremony K. BOOTSMA (CHS), Van 'redelijke discriminatie' naar begrensde integratie

K. (Kim) Bootsma will defend her doctoral thesis on Thursday 6 June 2024.

Van 'redelijke discriminatie' naar begrensde integratie
Het debat over vrouwen in de Nederlandse krijgsmacht (1968-1989)

Promotores:

• Prof. Dr C.W. Bosch
• Dr C.M. Megens

The University Library publishes the thesis digitally after the defence ceremony.

Abstract

In the 1970s and 1980s, a start was made on the 'integration' of women in the Dutch armed forces, as it was then called. The military women's corps Milva, Marva and Luva were disbanded and women were given access for the first time to all kinds of military positions, units and training centers that had previously only been accessible to men. Unlike other NATO countries, the Dutch government chose not to make an exception for the so-called ‘combat’ positions; women should be able to sail, fly and serve in the infantry, as long as they met the physical and psychological requirements.

In this dissertation I investigate how that process of integration took place and how female soldiers were assigned a place in the military organization based on meanings of ‘gender’. I show that it was far from certain how far the integration of female soldiers would go, that this was hotly debated, and that continuous attempts were made from all sides to limit the opportunities and possibilities of women in the armed forces.