ELECTIVE PANEL 1B: CULTIVATING ALLYSHIP IN DEFENSE AND SECURITY SECTORS
Allyship and Masculinity
Lieutenant Commander Melanie Lecaroz, U.S. Navy, U.S. Naval War College
Today’s U.S. military allows women to be in every facet of military service. However, the common oversights and male biases illustrate the need for a conscious and sustained effort to understand and challenge entrenched gender norms. Achieving this requires a clear understanding of what male allyship entails, its impact, and the workplace dynamics that support it.
This presentation examines why male allyship is essential to successfully implementing WPS initiatives and how mobilizing men to step up as allies hinges on a deeper understanding of how masculinity affects men and women.
A native of Vernon Hills, Illinois, Lieutenant Commander Melanie Lecaroz graduated from Illinois State University in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in graphic design. She commissioned from the Navy’s Officer Candidate School in March 2014 and earned her Naval Flight Officer wings in August 2015.
LCDR Lecaroz completed her first sea tour with Airborne Command and Control Squadron ONE TWO FIVE (VAW-125) stationed at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan flying the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. During this tour she was forward deployed onboard the USS RONALD REAGAN (CVN-76) for three deployments in support of INDOPACOM operations.
Ashore, LCDR Lecaroz’s assignments include an instructor tour at VAW-120 in Norfolk, VA where she served as the Assistant Standardization Officer and modernized the syllabi and evaluation standards for all levels of Student Pilot, NFO, and Aircrew training, and Flag Aide to Commander, Navy Installations Command in Washington D.C.
In July 2023, LCDR Lecaroz reported to the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, RI as a student in the College of Naval Command and Staff.
Inclusion without Representation: How Can Men Promote WPS in Male-Dominant Environments
Dr. Curtis Bell, U.S. Naval War College
Promoting inclusivity and equity in professional settings is more than a critical moral imperative; it is also necessary for innovation, creativity, and peak team performance. When one identity group is overrepresented on a team, achieving a culture of inclusivity can be especially challenging. This talk draws on theories of cognitive psychology, organizational leadership, and sociology to highlight some proven approaches that can be used to foster inclusivity and improve team performance, even in teams that skew heavily toward one overrepresented group.
The Strength of Allyship: Cultivating Belonging for Team Success
Dr. James Minnich, Daniel K. Inouye Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies
Since the 1948 Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, the U.S. has faced the challenge of genuinely including women in the security sector. Despite legislative advances, a transformation in the core culture of male-dominated systems remains elusive, with persistent issues of sexism, exclusion, and sexual violence. This presentation will focus on the critical distinction between integration and inclusion in the security sector: integration involves women adapting to pre-existing structures, whereas inclusion necessitates systemic changes to support and empower women fully.
The role of gender allyship is central to facilitating this transformation. Moving beyond passive acceptance, men must actively engage as allies, confronting sexism and fostering a culture of belonging. This involves being visible advocates for inclusivity, understanding the complexities of sexism and its impacts, and taking concrete actions to promote women’s leadership and embed inclusivity within organizational practices.
The necessity for this shift transcends moral considerations, impacting organizational effectiveness and national security. A security sector that marginalizes women is inherently compromised. Emphasizing men’s role in leading the charge toward sustainable and meaningful inclusion, this presentation argues for a security sector where everyone, irrespective of gender, feels safe, respected, and valued, ensuring a stronger and more resilient security sector for all.
The U.S. Naval War College (NWC) hosted the 10th iteration of its Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Symposium onboard Naval Station Newport, May 2-3.
The symposium, themed “Advancing Gendered Security in a Complex World: Hard Power, Smart Power, Soft Power,” aimed to foster a shared understanding of the complex and dynamic global security environment through examination of women’s influence and experience as stakeholders and catalysts of change alongside men.
14 май 2024
