Today marks the 30th anniversary of the U.S. Naval Academy admitting women.

While the percent of women in the academy has increased significantly--there were 22 percent women in this year's class--there still are plenty of problems:

The most recent [report] found that in the 2004-05 school year, 59 percent of female midshipmen and 14 percent of men reported sexual harassment--defined as crude and offensive behavior, unwanted sexual attention or sexual coercion. Sexist behavior--put-downs and offensive comments--was reported by 93 percent of women and 50 percent of men.

The article also reports that a player on the academy's football team was recently charged with raping a female midshipman. So while today is definitely a milestone, it's not exactly time to celebrate yet.

2 Comments

July 17, 2006 5:38 PM

[0+]  the_becca said:

Tangentally, I go to college literally across the street from the Naval Academy (St. John's College), and I'm a little freaked out that I didn't know about the accused rape. Hmm.

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July 18, 2006 6:25 AM

[0+]  EngenderTruth said:

Of course it is great that women are in the navy but the sexual harrassment thing sounds like something is going on for both men and women - I know 93% is high, but 50% men complaining of that kind of behaviour directed at them too? This sounds like a general problem to me.

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