Gender norming
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In practice
The US Army adopted gender norming at West Point, calling it a system of "equivalent training".{{cite book | last = Datnow | first = Amanda | title = Gender in Policy and Practice | publisher = RoutledgeFalmer | location = New York | year = 2002 | isbn = 978-0-415-93271-4 |page=173}} The objective is to ensure that positions are filled with a balance of both genders, and requires that women be given less physically challenging tests than men in order to attain the same fitness rating.{{cite book | last = Walch | first = Weston | title = Cases and Controversies in U. S. History | publisher = J. Weston Walch | location = Portland | year = 1993 | isbn = 978-0-8251-2320-7 |page=115}}[http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/apr/19/marine-corps-weighs-lower-standards-for-women-afte/ Marine Corps weighs lower standards for women after none pass Infantry Officer Course - Washington Times]
In Bauer v. Lynch (Decided: January 11, 2016), the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has found that gender norming is permissible under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which covers employment discrimination.{{cite web|accessdate=2021-06-21|title=Bauer v. Lynch|url=https://harvardlawreview.org/2016/06/bauer-v-lynch/|website=harvardlawreview.org|date=10 June 2016 }}
Opposition
David Brinkley, deputy chief of staff for operations at the United States Army's Training and Doctrine Command, told the AP “the men don’t want to lower the standards because they see that as a perceived risk to their team”, and “the women don’t want to lower the standards because they want the men to know they’re just as able as they are to do the same task.”{{cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2014/02/25/army-women-dont-want-combat-assignments-poll/|title=Most army women don't want combat assignments: poll|date=25 February 2014|website=NYPost.com|access-date=7 December 2017}} Other opponents include Walter E. Williams, who wrote that "officers who insist that females be held accountable to the same high standards as males are seen by higher brass as obstructionist and risk their careers",{{cite web|url=http://econfaculty.gmu.edu/wew/articles/97/gendernorming.htm|title=Gender Norming Update|website=econfaculty.GMU.edu|access-date=7 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171207141721/http://econfaculty.gmu.edu/wew/articles/97/gendernorming.htm|archive-date=7 December 2017|url-status=dead}} and Elaine Donnelly, the founder of the Center for Military Readiness.
In popular culture
In the movie, G.I. Jane, the female SEAL candidate Jordan O'Neil receives an extra 30 seconds in an obstacle course and told, "It's called gender norming, O'Neil. Standard procedure for all females in physical training."