After all, most of those are just traditions and, since we should do everything just because we can, let’s start robbing, rapping, burning houses down.

Q: How many WMs (women Marines) does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: None, her Gunny does it for her.

S’okay, I know some women who are damn overachievers and have their damn right to be what ever they want, but then there’s the “It’s like equal rights okay? It’s like we deserve to be there? It’s like if you don’t let us in then it’s sexist okay?” that just get on my nerves..

I’m glad you have a sense of humor and some resilience.

I too was wondering what having a penis had to do with “historical accuracy and the desire to both adhere to and honor the traditions of that job.”

#13 JMB you’ve hit the bullseye. The concept of a Black caucus has always pissed me off. Thats nothing but racial discrimination. Just like affirmative action. These so called “reverse racism” initiatives are anything but.

Lauren and Pedro you are so caught up in your own dominant white male ego, latent homo-erotica bullshit that you can’t see what the real issue is.

Bright light of reason, gimmy a break.

If it turns out that this job is almost entirely ceremonial, I would argue that there’s all the more reason to extend gender inclusion to this little corner of a changing world. In 30 years, we’ll see it as a fine old “tradition.”

That would have been better, don’t you think. And call them the Fisheaters. That way, Beefeaters and Fisheater could have kids together.

Naw, I’m not balding so I don’t have the need to wear a hat.

And as I said before, I don’t mind at all if women want to do with they lives and as Alix has pointed out, she bested others because she was qualified.

It’s the ones bitching to get in just because they want to are the ones who annoy me.

‘Beefeater’ is not some ordinary, commonplace job of work, it is a highly symbolic, traditional and ceremonial occupation. Centuries of tradition are what dictate a Beefeaters duties, uniform, conduct – and gender.

I’m sure that this is a great leap forward in opportunity for the world’s over one billion working age women, to whom this position was previously unavailable. Now they all have a chance to do something maybe 5 of them actually want to do.

Bravo. Such progress.

• • • • • • • •

I’ll go so far as to declare that there is nothing irrational about giving equal opportunity in employment to any person who is qualified.

That said, for a ceremonial position held by men for centuries, the qualifications naturally include being male. It has nothing to do with ‘ability to do the job.’ It’s about being what a person in the position has always been, by dint of historical accuracy and the desire to both adhere to and honor the traditions of that job.

Far more germane is the continued lack of desire on the part of women to take traditionally male jobs that entail danger, extreme effort or onerous work conditions. Open minds will have their eyes opened as well, should they read an important work on this very subject, The Myth of Male Power.

In the battle of the genders, as in those of other human groups, an objective examination reveals that each side in these conflicts has advantages that they’re loath to give up – they want to keep what they have while getting the alleged advantages of the other side. That’s human greed at work, and liberals are no less susceotible to it than conservatives.

Why not address the issue of qualified people trying to participate in roles they are capable of handling? I don’t see any advocation of unqualified people for PC reasons here. The lady in question bested multiple alternate candidates, don’t forget.

Let’s try and keep the straw men out of the discussion, please?

Me, I think I’m gonna agitate to join the La Leche League. Who do these sexists think they are, excluding men?

In the meantime, I expect our PC contingent to come out of the closet as the bisexuals they obviously must be, since there’re no differences between men and women, to hear them tell it…

#12 name change. Good idea. While you’re at it, why don’t you eliminate it? After all, it’s 2007, right? time for the Beefeaters to go away, there’s no use for them today

Here’s waiting for the first Muslim Pope.