Most arguments (reasonable ones anyway) against women on submarines had nothing to do with capability of the women. The Ohio class subs removed most of those arguments. I don't know what the lay out of the Virginia class boats is, I was a 637 class sailor, but until newer ones are designed specifically for a mixed gender crew I am a little doubtful that staffing them with women is anything but PC BS.
This. I have no doubt that female JOs can dance with the one-eyed-lady (man now?) with the best of them, sound semi-intelligenct on the 1MC/2MC/7MC, and do QA vertical audits like a champ.
The issue is whether the costs of putting women on submarines are offset by maintaining warfighting readiness. What are those costs?
-Women leave the Navy at a much higher rate than men after their initial tours. The sub force has enjoyed high retention over the past few years thanks to a tubbed economy and a supposed culture shift among XO/COs to take better care of their wardrooms, but the economy will eventually recover.
-There is a big push from Big Navy to make more senior female COs and Major Commanders, and you know that the first female submariner who wants to stick around long enough will be put on the highway to command at sea. This results in pressure on COs to give females higher marks on fitreps for equal or sometimes lesser work.
-Fraternization is one of the leading causes of COs/XOs being relieved, many of whom were probably otherwise very capable Officers. It's easy to point your finger at them and say 'you should know better,' but Mother Nature is what it is -- you work in close quarters with someone for months on end and this stuff will happen.
-Inconveniencing a crew that is already living in spartan conditions, many of whom chose it because of the culture onboard submarines that doesn't involve having women around.
The SecNav and SecDef have decided that it is worth the cost, so who am I to disagree. I just haven't really heard them present what the benefits are to warrant having to deal with these new set of challenges, nor have I ever met a woman who said "You know, it's totally bullshit that I can't be a submariner." But we'll adapt and overcome, it's what we do.