"when that also would entail increasing their likely hood of dying at work."

They are just asking for the right to hold the same job.. and most a very aware of the risks.
So no..
It is not a "slap to the face" of most feminists.

@hippydog Everyone already has the right to hold those jobs so long as they are physically qualified to do so.

Maybe "slap in the face" is a bad term, but I think you know what I'm trying to say.

@Happy_Killbot having the "right" and being allowed to do so by current society are two different things.

@hippydog US submarines are primarily male, and the US Navy has only just started excepting female enlisted crewmembers on submarines.

Every study done by the Navy indicates that women are overall better qualified for life on submarines.

Why did the Navy not allow it until recently?
Logistics
Subs are to small to have separate crew compartments and bathrooms, and there are many more male volunteers than female. Newer virginia class subs do make room for separate crew compartments and this is why the Navy is making the change.

I use this as an example of when what works for individuals isn't a good idea for policy makers for reasons outside of their control.

No. Because women are smart enough not to think they are clever enough to bend the rules.
In my personal experience, the greatest accidents were among college graduates who thought they were clever enough to ignore our safety rules. I have seen a beheaded body, a body literally sheared in two at the waist and countless maimed bodies. Every single one had failed to follow basic safety rules, and the majority were our brightest technicians.

@Petter I was joking!

@zesty I know you were. Hence my emoticon.
However, it was a good excuse to explain something serious. A clever man needn't be a smart man, especially if he is arrogant about his skills. Whereas I never noticed that in any of our women.