Currently, American men must register for the Selective Service, the agency that executes the military draft and maintains information on eligible draftees, but Congress considered an amendment that would have required women to register as well. 

Though Congress dropped this amendment as part of a late-year push to pass a bipartisan defense policy bill, women should be required to register for the Selective Service to promote equality and dismantle sexism.

Not only will requiring women to register for the Selective Service provide a larger draft pool, but it will also help dismantle the harmful stereotypes that women are home-oriented while men fight for the country.

Since all eligible men — regardless of physical ability — must enroll in the Selective Service, the physical differences between men and women should not be a reason to exclude women from the draft. Additionally, all combat roles have been available to women since 2016.

Having only men be subject to a potential draft perpetuates the idea that women need men to defend them, implies that the country depends on only men and exacerbates toxic standards of masculinity.

In order to truly achieve equality, women must be allowed to serve their country in the same way as men, and this means shedding traditional expectations where men are the protectors and women are the protected. Congress should rectify this amendment as soon as possible.