Languish.org

General Category => Off the Record => Topic started by: Syt on April 04, 2014, 03:02:24 AM

Title: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: Syt on April 04, 2014, 03:02:24 AM
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/03/25/norway-army-unisex_n_5025835.html

QuoteMen And Women Shared Rooms In This Norwegian Army Base - And Sexual Harassment Dropped
The Huffington Post UK  |  By Jessica Elgot   Posted: 25/03/2014 09:54 GMT  |  Updated: 25/03/2014 09:59 GMT

The Norwegian army has created unisex dorms for soldiers, with female soldiers reporting they experienced a drop in sexual harassment as a result.

Trialled at a military base in the north of the country, the Local reported that each room had two women sharing with four men.

Ulla-Britt Lilleaas, professor of Sociology at the University of Agder, researched the reactions of women to the unorthodox arrangement.

One female soldier had purchased especially large underwear when she was told she would be sharing with male colleagues, but then reported that she had felt the gender differences less acutely than she had thought.

"To them there was nothing strange about the unisex rooms. They had entered a common mode where gender stereotypes had disappeared, or at least they were less obvious," the sociologist reported.

Another woman called the mixed rooms a "damn good idea".

"You have to be a team here, and then you have to live together in order to be able to trust in one another", she said.

"There is no gender in the army, there is only green", said another one of the interviewees.

Male soldiers who were interviewed said they found it easier to talk about more important things, rather than just banter or dirty talk, when there were girls in the rooms.

"They are much better at taking showers and cleaning, which is being emphasised as a positive thing by the management," the research said, according to Science Nordic.

In the research, Lilleaas and co-author Dag Ellingsen compared unisex dorms with another training centre for the Royal Norwegian Navy, where women and men have separate rooms.

They reported: "It becomes us and them, boys against the girls. Another problem with girls' rooms is that they in some cases fall outside the information flow. And they are often characterised by conflicts and cliques."

It is not the first time Norway's army has adopted radical ethical measures. It announced in November plans to introduce 'meatless Mondays' into army diets, to tackle climate change.
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: Tamas on April 04, 2014, 04:38:28 AM
Quote
It is not the first time Norway's army has adopted radical ethical measures. It announced in November plans to introduce 'meatless Mondays' into army diets, to tackle climate change.

:bleeding:
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: Crazy_Ivan80 on April 04, 2014, 06:03:42 AM
if the norwegian army wants to tackle climate change their navy should use viking ships.

No burning coastal settlements though as the smog is a climate-change no-no
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: Neil on April 04, 2014, 07:50:42 AM
If Norway wants to tackle climate change they should stop all gas production.
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: Crazy_Ivan80 on April 04, 2014, 07:51:33 AM
Quote from: Neil on April 04, 2014, 07:50:42 AM
If Norway wants to tackle climate change they should stop all gas production.

don't think that's healthy
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: DGuller on April 04, 2014, 07:55:06 AM
What about cases of sexual intercourse? :unsure:
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: grumbler on April 04, 2014, 08:13:11 AM
Quote from: DGuller on April 04, 2014, 07:55:06 AM
What about cases of sexual intercourse? :unsure:

They should stop those, as well.
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: Valmy on April 04, 2014, 08:16:20 AM
Quote from: Syt on April 04, 2014, 03:02:24 AM
QuoteThe Norwegian army has created unisex dorms for soldiers, with female soldiers reporting they experienced a drop in sexual harassment as a result.

I guess it makes it harder to rape people if you they know where you live.  But this is a weird sounding sentence, like there is a standard level of sexual harassment Norwegian soldiers experience that has now been lessened.
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: Monoriu on April 04, 2014, 08:17:48 AM
Quote from: DGuller on April 04, 2014, 07:55:06 AM
What about cases of sexual intercourse? :unsure:

That happens even if there are separate rooms for males and females.
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: The Brain on April 04, 2014, 09:34:39 AM
I can't remember Sweden having had separate dorms.
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: Valmy on April 04, 2014, 09:43:10 AM
Quote from: The Brain on April 04, 2014, 09:34:39 AM
I can't remember Sweden having had separate dorms.

So that is what kept morale so high during the Narva campaign. 
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: Malthus on April 04, 2014, 09:44:25 AM
Quote from: The Brain on April 04, 2014, 09:34:39 AM
I can't remember Sweden having had separate dorms.

Because you slept in the barn?  :P
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: Viking on April 04, 2014, 09:47:57 AM
Quote from: DGuller on April 04, 2014, 07:55:06 AM
What about cases of sexual intercourse? :unsure:

I suspect having mix dorms reduces incidents of sodomy in the norwegian navy.
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: derspiess on April 04, 2014, 10:12:07 AM
Sounds like a pretty decent idea, actually.  Someone's got to do the cleaning & laundry.
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: Neil on April 04, 2014, 10:37:41 AM
Quote from: Viking on April 04, 2014, 09:47:57 AM
Quote from: DGuller on April 04, 2014, 07:55:06 AM
What about cases of sexual intercourse? :unsure:

I suspect having mix dorms reduces incidents of sodomy in the norwegian navy.
Doubtful.
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: sbr on April 04, 2014, 10:41:54 AM
Quote from: Valmy on April 04, 2014, 08:16:20 AM
Quote from: Syt on April 04, 2014, 03:02:24 AM
QuoteThe Norwegian army has created unisex dorms for soldiers, with female soldiers reporting they experienced a drop in sexual harassment as a result.
But this is a weird sounding sentence, like there is a standard level of sexual harassment Norwegian soldiers experience that has now been lessened.

Why would that be weird?
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: Valmy on April 04, 2014, 10:46:32 AM
Quote from: sbr on April 04, 2014, 10:41:54 AM
Why would that be weird?

I don't know is a constant stream of sexual harassment something most soldiers see?
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: The Brain on April 04, 2014, 10:49:55 AM
Quote from: Valmy on April 04, 2014, 10:46:32 AM
Quote from: sbr on April 04, 2014, 10:41:54 AM
Why would that be weird?

I don't know is a constant stream of sexual harassment something most soldiers see?

:unsure:
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: Capetan Mihali on April 04, 2014, 02:11:42 PM
Quote from: Valmy on April 04, 2014, 10:46:32 AM
Quote from: sbr on April 04, 2014, 10:41:54 AM
Why would that be weird?

I don't know is a constant stream of sexual harassment something most soldiers see?

As far as female soldiers are concerned, have you been following the US news lately? :huh:

For male soldiers, it is "bonding," "initiation," or maybe "hazing," as far as anyone's concerned.
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: Valmy on April 04, 2014, 02:20:08 PM
Quote from: Capetan Mihali on April 04, 2014, 02:11:42 PM
As far as female soldiers are concerned, have you been following the US news lately? :huh:

For male soldiers, it is "bonding," "initiation," or maybe "hazing," as far as anyone's concerned.

Unless there was a Languish post on it I don't follow the news.  I am raising kids, working full time, and getting an electrical engineering degree.  I sleep three hours a night on week nights.  Give me a break alright?  If military people are regularly breaking the law I hope there are some court marshals going on.
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: The Brain on April 04, 2014, 02:20:46 PM
Quote from: Valmy on April 04, 2014, 02:20:08 PM
Quote from: Capetan Mihali on April 04, 2014, 02:11:42 PM
As far as female soldiers are concerned, have you been following the US news lately? :huh:

For male soldiers, it is "bonding," "initiation," or maybe "hazing," as far as anyone's concerned.

Unless there was a Languish post on it I don't follow the news.  I am raising kids, working full time, and getting an electrical engineering degree.  I sleep three hours a night on week nights.  Give me a break alright?  If military people are regularly breaking the law I hope there are some court marshals going on.

:unsure:
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: derspiess on April 04, 2014, 02:27:52 PM
In my ROTC days I was sexually propositioned by three female cadets and one female officer.  I guess that technically qualifies as "harrassment" under the broad definition but I wasn't bothered by it.  After a while I got the impression that some women join the Army because they're too homely to land a guy in the civilian world and their chances get much better in the Army environment.
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: Admiral Yi on April 04, 2014, 02:29:04 PM
It's a win win!
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: Capetan Mihali on April 04, 2014, 02:31:29 PM
Quote from: Valmy on April 04, 2014, 02:20:08 PM
Quote from: Capetan Mihali on April 04, 2014, 02:11:42 PM
As far as female soldiers are concerned, have you been following the US news lately? :huh:

For male soldiers, it is "bonding," "initiation," or maybe "hazing," as far as anyone's concerned.

Unless there was a Languish post on it I don't follow the news.  I am raising kids, working full time, and getting an electrical engineering degree.  I sleep three hours a night on week nights.  Give me a break alright?  If military people are regularly breaking the law I hope there are some court marshals going on.

No I won't give you a break you ignorant son of a bitch.  Either you follow the damn news on a daily basis or your ass is grass.  And that's not a threat, it's a PROMISE.

......

:P  I get most of my news from Languish too, but thought most people did better.  So at least we're not alone. :hug:  But there has been a lot going on (Congressional investigations even I believe) about widespread sexual harassment/assault/rape in the military recently.  So perhaps unsurprising nobody's made a thread on it yet.  It's been percolating for a while, and the only reason I'm aware is that I've caught a few segments about it on NPR skimming through dial on my commute. :lol:
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: Norgy on April 04, 2014, 04:14:24 PM
QuoteMale soldiers who were interviewed said they found it easier to talk about more important things, rather than just banter or dirty talk, when there were girls in the rooms.

I'm sure the Russians are already shaking in their pants about the prospects of being bombarded with "But how do you really feel?" from across the border.
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: garbon on April 04, 2014, 04:18:11 PM
Quote from: Capetan Mihali on April 04, 2014, 02:31:29 PM
Quote from: Valmy on April 04, 2014, 02:20:08 PM
Quote from: Capetan Mihali on April 04, 2014, 02:11:42 PM
As far as female soldiers are concerned, have you been following the US news lately? :huh:

For male soldiers, it is "bonding," "initiation," or maybe "hazing," as far as anyone's concerned.

Unless there was a Languish post on it I don't follow the news.  I am raising kids, working full time, and getting an electrical engineering degree.  I sleep three hours a night on week nights.  Give me a break alright?  If military people are regularly breaking the law I hope there are some court marshals going on.

No I won't give you a break you ignorant son of a bitch.  Either you follow the damn news on a daily basis or your ass is grass.  And that's not a threat, it's a PROMISE.

......

:P  I get most of my news from Languish too, but thought most people did better.  So at least we're not alone. :hug:  But there has been a lot going on (Congressional investigations even I believe) about widespread sexual harassment/assault/rape in the military recently.  So perhaps unsurprising nobody's made a thread on it yet.  It's been percolating for a while, and the only reason I'm aware is that I've caught a few segments about it on NPR skimming through dial on my commute. :lol:

[Seeds]Because Languish hates women[/Seeds]
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: Sheilbh on April 04, 2014, 05:54:58 PM
Quote from: Valmy on April 04, 2014, 10:46:32 AM
Quote from: sbr on April 04, 2014, 10:41:54 AM
Why would that be weird?

I don't know is a constant stream of sexual harassment something most soldiers see?
Based on the soldiers I've met, I'd be amazed if women didn't go through that :mellow:
Title: Re: Norwegian Army introduces unisex dorms
Post by: Ed Anger on April 04, 2014, 06:19:43 PM
Quote from: derspiess on April 04, 2014, 10:12:07 AM
Sounds like a pretty decent idea, actually.  Someone's got to do the cleaning & laundry.

^_^