ABSTRACT
Prejudice impedes women’s voices from being heard, being viewed as leaders or seen as appropriate for inclusion in security matters. Prejudice references a strong, often negative bias. Discrimination references actions taken based on prejudice. Prejudice and discrimination can be structurally sanctioned through rules, regulations and legislation offering a group advantages or imposing disadvantages. The benefits of diversity, including innovation, expanded problem-solving techniques and capabilities, and varied strategic perspectives are documented. “Body counting” alone as an indicator of diversity fails to consider the context of social relations, subjectivities, experiences and processes by which inclusivity occurs. When men are referenced by their title, such as doctor, and women who have earned the same title are called by their first name that is a microaggression. Sexism is the missing link in the continuum, consisting of the microaggressions that occur regularly without rebuke, often by or with full awareness of leadership.
