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Whether we like it or not, gender differences matter in a combat situation.

Men tend to be hierarchical, but women are driven to make lateral connections so they can cooperate.

It would be hypocritical of me to use being female in some ways, and diss being female in other ways. It's part of the programme.

Much of the demand for women in combat comes from female officers who are eager for medals and promotions.

There's a power in women being women. There's a role for men, but we don't have to be men, because we're women. I think that representing that on television is a cool thing.

Men are very competent in their workplace - and this is going to sound sexist - women are better at running households and juggling lots of things, kids and scheduling and that kind of thing.

I think we're actually the only sport that has a mix of men and women competing together. The majority of other sports are separated by gender.

Well, if you look at the programme that we're offering, I think that is a future which is fair for women as well as men. We're still heavily outnumbered - we're still four to one in parliament - but we are pioneers! We are forging a new path.

What I find is with all due deference to - deference to our male colleagues, that women's styles tend to be more collaborative.

Combat duty is strenuous and physically demanding, and I'm not the first person to notice that men and women are built differently. And while many will argue that women will only be allowed into combat arms units under the same requirements as their male counterparts, count me as skeptical.