Personal security

Sexism on America’s Front Lines

...All three are accomplished national security hands in Washington, and until now none has spoken publicly about these experiences—and the broader culture of everyday sexual harassment and sexism that is still rampant in the national security world. They chose to do so now amid a rising national clamor over sexual harassment, for a special episode of The Global Politico podcast dedicated to the specific challenges faced by the very outnumbered women who help shape America’s place in the world but still routinely confront offenses that would stir outrage elsewhere.

Women in national security face one of most male-dominated professions there is, which is why we brought together Rosenberger, Shulman, Eoyang and several other veterans of high-ranking jobs in the White House National Security Council, Pentagon, State Department and Capitol Hill last week for a frank, thoughtful and at times deeply disturbing conversation.

Each has played a role in many of the key foreign policy debates of the past decade, from helping steer U.S. policy toward Russia or North Korea to overseeing the Pentagon’s strategic plans. These women have got the nuclear triad down cold, and they have taught me a lot over the years about what really goes on in the NSC or the Pentagon when a crisis hits. All of them said they see themselves as wonky Washington experts first, not feminist activists, but the explosion of sexual harassment stories in recent weeks has led each to think again about the unique problems of a national security world that remains very much in denial about how muchsex—and sexism—still shapes the Washington workplace.