‘Man up’ or ‘Miss out’: understanding masculinity contest cultures in policing and opportunities for change

This research investigates factors contributing to harassment and other negative outcomes (i.e. burnout and silence) in policing, theorizing that these outcomes are perpetuated by masculinity contest beliefs (i.e. dominance, physicality, commitment, strength) that compel officers and other police personnel to constantly prove they are sufficiently ‘manly’ and to protect those who dominate and harass others from impunity. Such protection is expected to extend to the silencing, dismissing, or ignoring of those who speak out. Building on prior research, the current studies propose that these outcomes may fester due to the failure of senior police leaders to perceive there is a problem. Notwithstanding this potential reality, the current research argues that masculinity contest norms can be counteracted through the actions of courageous unit-level police leaders and supervisors. These ideas were investigated across two studies with data collected from two North American police departments. The implications of the study findings for policing research and practice more generally are discussed.