Symbolism or inclusion? A study of operational women, women leaders, gender targets and gender equality, 2000 to 2017 in the Fire & Rescue Service in England

The purpose of this study has been to understand the context of gender and inclusion within the FRS. Given the paradoxical position of a predominately male culture resistant of women, low employee numbers of operational women but women successfully securing leadership roles, the investigation has considered the culture of the FRS and the experiences of operational women firefighters and senior women leaders. A further consideration has been the role of FRS gender targets, and its impact upon gender equality. Through a series of interviews with FRS strategic leaders, senior women, and decision makers across England, the study has sought to build a framework of understanding of gender relationships, and gender equality within the FRS. In conducting focus groups with male firefighters from three FRSs, and two focus groups with women firefighters from across England, the experience of gender and cultural processes within the FRS have been investigated. Using an integrative lens of the layers of reflexivity, positionality and realist constructionism, analysis has considered wider issues of FRS culture, gender equality and how gendered norms are established and upheld. The experiences of women and my own reflexive experience within the FRS have been considered as knowledge. The findings isolate the primary FRS integration and socialisation process of the watch and establish it as a systemic vehicle of embedding patriarchal norms. In positioning cultural normalities within the watch hegemonic masculinities are evidenced in this study which rely on relationship alliances between men for the dominance and subjugation of women, creating exclusions based on gender and maintaining gender stratifications. The findings establish that gender targets have not been understood as a means of cultural change, and have not been an appropriate means of cultural change where resistance to women is strong. Resistance to women appears to be a historically maintained cultural specificity with a real time legacy within the FRS. Four key constructs have emerged as mechanisms through which gendered norms are embedded and enforced within FRS organisations: women as outsiders; a prevalent narrative of incompetent women; a patriarchal social order; and a culture of masculinity. The notion of gender-neutrality does not exist within FRS culture or its arrangements, instead this study has unearthed a highly gendered organisation for which matters of gender equality for operational women remain questionable.

Grantor dc:publisher

Oxford Brookes University

Year dc:date

2020

Author dc:creator

• Brown, Barbara

Statement dc:rights

• All rights reserved

Language dc:language

en

DOI dc:identifier

https://doi.org/10.24384/7fv7-p798

OAI identifier oai:identifier

tle:3d4130fb-f3bd-440e-907b-c04a6f9e9690:d6bd9758-527a-46cd-bfe2-c433766e8fca:1