When it comes to boots on the ground, the first grade footie team analogy is spot on.
Sure, if you're talking about footy!
We're not talking about pilots, gents.
Why not? The original post seems based on a push to increase female numbers in the ADF from 10% to 12% - shock, horror! Whatever jobs can be done as well by women as by men would be candidates for an increase.
Seriously looking at factors contributing to the massive under-representation of women, I'm sure we can all come up with a bunch of them. For example:
1. Societally traditional gender roles influencing school subject and employment choices.
2. Physical demands making it hard for women to do a job - applicable in some cases, but not that many, particularly when you see some of the unfit woosy blokes at work in various roles.
3. Child-bearing and caring choices - applicable also, as anyone can understand that a woman who wants to have kids will necessarily be out of the workforce for a while - mabye years, maybe months depending on her drive to get back to work and the availability of someone to look after the kids. Can certainly be worked around depending on priorities and family arrangements, or kids delayed, as happens a lot these days anyway.
4. Entrenched resistance in the existing system, 'glass ceiling' etc.
Political correctness and reverse discrimination is bull****, but if a group representing 50% of the population only makes up 10% of a diverse workforce, it's far too simplistic to say "they're not suitable and can't do the job."