Senator Lillian DeHaven

G.I. Jane | Character

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A Senate Armed Services Committee interviews a candidate for the position of Secretary of the Navy. Senator Lillian DeHaven (Anne Bancroft) criticizes the Navy for not being gender-neutral. Behind the curtains, a deal is struck: If women compare favorably with men in a series of test cases, the military will integrate women fully into all occupations of the Navy.

The first test is the training course of the (fictional) U.S. Navy Combined Reconnaissance Team (similar to U.S. Navy SEAL BUD/S). Senator DeHaven hand-picks topographical analyst Lieutenant Jordan O'Neil (Demi Moore), because she is physically more feminine than the other candidates.

Subject ID: 82787

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A Senate Armed Services Committee interviews a candidate for the position of Secretary of the Navy. Senator Lillian DeHaven (Anne Bancroft) criticizes the Navy for not being gender-neutral. Behind the curtains, a deal is struck: If women compare favorably with men in a series of test cases, the military will integrate women fully into all occupations of the Navy.

The first test is the training course of the (fictional) U.S. Navy Combined Reconnaissance Team (similar to U.S. Navy SEAL BUD/S). Senator DeHaven hand-picks topographical analyst Lieutenant Jordan O'Neil (Demi Moore), because she is physically more feminine than the other candidates.

Navy leaders, confident that a woman would quickly drop out, become concerned. Civilian media learn of O'Neil's involvement, and she becomes a sensation known as "G.I. Jane." Soon she must contend with trumped up charges that she is a lesbian, and is fraternizing with women. O'Neil is told that she will be given a desk job during the investigation and, if cleared, will need to repeat her training. She decides to "ring out" (ringing a bell three times, signaling her voluntary withdrawal from the program) rather than accept a desk job.

It is later revealed that the photo evidence of O'Neil's alleged fraternization came from Senator DeHaven's office. DeHaven never intended for O'Neil to succeed; she used O'Neil as a bargaining chip to prevent military base closings. O'Neil threatens to expose DeHaven, who then has the charges voided and O'Neil restored to the program.

Subject ID: 82787

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Subject ID: 82787