About this episode

This episode discusses the history and future of women in combat, highlighting the appointment of Australia's first female Chief of Army and the ongoing struggle for women's roles in the military.

Australia’s incoming Chief of Army, Lt. General Susan Coyle, will be the first woman ever to hold the Army’s top post. Her appointment in the lead-up to Anzac Day reflects a change that’s been decades in the making. The true history of warfare is the story of men and women together on the battlefield. But in the early 20th century that reality changed, and at the same time, female fighters began to be written out of the history books. This is the story of how western women successfully fought their way back onto the front line. It’s also a story about how the current US administration is once again trying to wrest them from the field. Guests: Ashleigh Percival-Borley – Military historian, Durham University Dr Sarah Percy – Associate professor, School of Political Science and International Studies, University of Queensland Dr Megan McKenzie – Professor, School for International Studies, Simon Fraser University Dr Kyleanne Hunter – CEO of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America Links: Sarah Percy’s Forgotten Warriors Kyleanne Hunter’s Invisible Veterans Megan MacKenzie’s Beyond the Band of Brothers

People in this episode

Guests: Ashleigh Percival-Borley, Dr Sarah Percy, Dr Megan McKenzie, Dr Kyleanne Hunter

Topics covered

• women in combat
• military history
• gender roles in warfare
• historical revisionism
• current military policy
• women's rights

Keywords

• women in military
• combat history
• female soldiers
• Anzac Day
• military policy
• gender equality
• historical narratives

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Durham University, School of Political Science and International Studies, University of Queensland, School for International Studies, Simon Fraser University, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America

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