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The next big discrimination barrier to fall in the armed forces: Letting women fight

Under the law, American women are not allowed to serve in combat roles in the military. In practice, of course, wartime necessity has meant something different.  Officially, though, the discrimination still exists—and with good reason, defenders say: Women tend to be smaller and weaker, and changing combat-ready standards to include them would diminish the readiness and roughness of our armed forces. My response has always been: Don't change the physical standards. Just change the discrimination. And now I see that's what is happening in Australia : In a landmark move for the Australian military, women will be allowed to risk their lives alongside male soldiers and serve on the frontline. In a move described as "a significant and major cultural change" the Australian army will remove all  gender  barriers over the next five years and women will be able to take up roles that previously were considered too dangerous. Women who met the same stringent physical and