5 foot rule and female "soldiers"???

[MMurphy]

Okay something that I have been noticing lately.

Some units allow females to portray males in ranks as long as they can pass "the five foot rule". While this is a good guideline, (especially on the field), I'm seeing some units completely ignore it now to the point where it's blatantly obvious that some of the "soldiers" are women.

There's a CS Cavalry unit that attends some of our local events here that has 1-2 female members and they are very noticeable as ladies in terms of shape, hair, etc. They do nothing to hide their "feminine features", and many times the unit acts more like a Mounted Cowboy Action Shooting Unit than it does cavalry...

There's also a Union Artillery unit around this area that has a couple of females in it, that are very obvious.

And recently I've started seeing some of the infantry units were you can stand a good 25-30 feet away and see "a female in line", it's that obvious.

I guess it's struck me to write this because of a recent article on a battle in the Camp Chase Gazette where out of the 4 photos there, at least two of them showed VERY onvious females in the ranks of combatants.

So why do units try to "accurately" portray a unit when they allow this?...What's the justification?...Laziness?...apathy?...Scared to tell the girlies..."Sorry but you gotta follow the five foot rule", so they won't be sued by some "victimized" female screaming sexual discrimination?

Am I the only one that seems to be noticing this trend?

Opinions please...

[Memphis]

Mike,

Consider upgrading your choice of events, and this problem may take care of itself.

[firstmdes]

I have reenacted a number of times with female reenactors that do a very good impression. Height should have nothing to do with it. There are quite a number of women over five feet that couldn't pretend to be a man if their life depended on it. I am sure that there are women under five feet that make good soldiers. The complaint should be directed at the impression: is the hair short or hidden, do they go by Sally and Jenny or do they adopt a male name like Andy for the impression...

If you want to follow a height rule, then you better not have men in your ranks under that minimum height!

[sbl]

We have a go-round about this every 6-12 months. If the women are in somebody else's unit there's not a lot you can do but squint or go home.

[indguard]

Never heard of a "five foot rule" and would never consider employing it. It is an arbitrary and pointless idea that has no bearing on anything. I don't do arbitrary.

WTH

[zouavecampaigner]

We have a go-round about this every 6-12 months. If the women are in somebody else's unit there's not a lot you can do but squint or go home.

Scott,

I find that, if I take my contacts out, or am not wearing glasses, it makes the entire reenactment experience a lot more authentic looking

Hope you're well!

Regards,
Shaun Grenan

[sbl]

I've stopped wearing my period specs as I look like Gepetto the toymaker with them on. The events look just great and my old girl-friend from Rev-War days hasn't aged a day.

[Crabby]

I have reenacted a number of times with female reenactors that do a very good impression. Height should have nothing to do with it. There are quite a number of women over five feet that couldn't pretend to be a man if their life depended on it. I am sure that there are women under five feet that make good soldiers. The complaint should be directed at the impression: is the hair short or hidden, do they go by Sally and Jenny or do they adopt a male name like Andy for the impression...

If you want to follow a height rule, then you better not have men in your ranks under that minimum height!

It is not the height. It is the distance from you, you shouldn't be able to notice at a distance of 5 foot away. But then again you seem to be going to the wrong events!

[firstmdes]

It is not the height. It is the distance from you, you shouldn't be able to notice at a distance of 5 foot away. But then again you seem to be going to the wrong events!

I see...five feet away not five feet tall. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

[3rd_PA_Artillery]

There's a woman in my battery who serves as pretty much infantry. She does pretty well in hiding her identity. She ties her hair up and puts it up in the crown of her forage cap and wears a coat that's a size too small to hide her "feminine features."