Board Thread:Warhammer 40k General Discussion/@comment-7699236-20150618150629/@comment-86.176.31.119-20151212125233

I think this all boils down to appetite, or more specifically, lack of it in the GWS 40K universe. From founders and fans.

No real evidence exists to counteract the idea that with some hormone support and the right female subjects, female space marines could be made. Would they be as strong, fast or agile? I'd probably be like now, some females are better/stronger performing than some males but generally the case that they are slower and weaker but just as tactical. I say generally as that is the case now and you will always have a overlapping bell curve of performance. As a result, you'd very much be able to get some suitable female candidates.

Simple fact of the matter is that if females are effectively fighting/serving (in various front line/conflict zone positions, both real and fictional) then in principal, they are capable of what is needed. Anyone that knows anything about special forces/elite forces is that the majority of the selection is actually mental capability not just physical, anyone in the right condition can be trained upto fitness (all things been equal) but attitude/outlook is much much much more different.

The stumbling point comes from the fictional human > post-human process. Now given that Females have the majority of the same DNA/Biological functions and that the majority of the organs/processes of the process are self-contained i.e. they produce the end result that they are implanted for, then I see little reason why not.

There are many references to tinkering with the gene seed by the Mechanicus for the various foundings of Marines as well as by people like Bile. Likewise, the various chapter medical staff have been known to tinker and achieve results. I'd not be shocked that if they wanted, a very plausible and logical method of creating female marines was found by the Imperium...via GWS.

That said, if people say stupid things like 'they are called battle brothers, because they are men not women'... well obviously, you aren't going to address your troops as Battle Brothers and Sisters if they are all men at the time, are you?! Another is 'the marines are and must be male', why, because you say so? that's not actually based around any facts. Likewise comments like one-size fits all, that crap too as there are females in the Imperial Guard and the Sisters Of Battle so their is variety. As for 'fitting into ideas' what real life culture do the Sisters Of Battle apply to that doesn't also mean that females can be part of special forces, given that their are examples of this in real life. Googles shows that it is as possible as not.

I think the real issue is that some people seem the inclusion of females as a threat to their masculinity, as oppose to a source to complement their abilities.

That and if males and females are together then...stuff generally happens which I'm fairly sure that GWS want to keep well away from.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">I really feel that this thread shows the latent mild sexism of some contributers about women in the lore. Answer the question posed, Biological conversion questions aside (as they can be 'discovered' at anytime by a marine medic/machanicum biologist if so needed) then would you, or would you not, be willing to be saved by a female operative if she met the required standards of the organisation saving you? E.g. You are just about to be shot by a terrorist but a female police/military assault team member COULD take the shot, would you let them?

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;">If the answer is yes, then I think if you'd say no to female marines then it shows a bias.