I Don’t Know What I’ve Been Told…Women Marines Are Really Bold

By Elisabeth McGowan

Luckily, women are nowadays welcome to join the military. It took a while, but equality finally came to the United States military, in terms of both sexual orientation and gender.  It all comes down to this – if you want to fight for the country, then you should be embraced with open arms by the organizations that continue to defend the country. 

Since the early twentieth century, women were enlisted in the Marine Corps, but not without facing difficulties. Even today, women marines have encountered types of sexual harassment – one being the current photo scandal, in which several marines

were exposed in the pictures.  Other women marines have spoken out about this ordeal, making the case that it is obvious misogyny, but that not all the men should be punished for something that one group is responsible for.  This is clearly not what the USMC or the entire military allows, but the fact that sexual harassment is an ongoing aspect against military women is unfathomable. 

Playwright, Betsy Newberry, provides an insightful account of a woman marine’s experience through training in her production On Becoming A Marine. She is the only one in this entire one act play that gives you a thorough description of what she witnessed in boot camp. From details of the so-called minor, “feminine” boot camp terms to the names WMs were nicknamed, the manner in which Newberry weaves details of these hidden yet noticeable misogynistic factors of 1968 Marine Corps training is clever. 

USMC training is already challenging enough – why should anyone face any more difficulties just because of who they are? This one character’s journey through the 8-week training is detailed with minor, perhaps even unnoticeable, characteristics of what she goes through as a woman, not only as a marine-in-training. 

Would you like to experience the bravery and continuous strength of this one marine? Then come see On Becoming A Marine hosted by the Riant Theatre’s Strawberry One-Act Festival on July 13^th, 18^th, 22^nd, and the 25^th, at the Theater at St. Clement’s: 423 West 46^th Street, New York.

ON BECOMING A MARINE By Betsy Newberry
Take a trip back to 1968, Parris Island, South Carolina, and learn what it was like for a woman to become a Marine during the height of the Viet Nam War.

Thursday, July 13th at 9pm
Tuesday, July 18^th at 7pm
Saturday, July 22^th at 9pm
Tuesday, July 25^th at 7pm

Tickets: $25 Online, $27 at the Box Office
Premium Seats: $30 Online, $35 at the Box Office

At the Theatre at St. Clement's
423 West 46th Street, NYC
Between 9th & 10th Avenue

For tickets click here. 

Elisabeth McGowan, Writer