[ccmay]

With all due respect to our female FReepers, I don't think firemen or policemen should be anything other than large, athletic males.

That said, I do know one cop who is a little slip of a girl, a friend of my sister's, who can definitely hold her own. In a bar once, I saw her take down a mean drunk three times her size and give him a damn good beating. I ran over to see if she needed help, but by the time I got there the guy was on the ground whimpering.

[usastandsunited]

With all due respect to our female FReepers, I don't think firemen or policemen should be anything other than large, athletic males.

Let me try to help you out before you dig a hole too deep. I think it has more to do with size, which women are smaller for the most part. On the other hand, I know some women out there over 250lbs that would just as easily spit tobacco juice on you as look at ya.

[Mordacious]

With all due respect to our female FReepers, I don't think firemen or policemen should be anything other than large, athletic males.

In ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, I'd agree with you, but there are the occasional big, strong women who are up to the job. I'm thinking in particular of a female firefighter who used to do that Eco-Challenge race. She was a total brute (in a good way) and out-raced and out-muscled most of the guys.

Regardless, standards (physical and academic) for cops and firefighters should never be lowered to accommodate any group. You either pass or you don't.