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This study explores the occupational experiences and perceptions of LGBT+ officers within policing and examines the observed differences between various identities within the community. It highlights the factors that create a positive or negative work environment for LGBT+ officers and the implications for police policy and practice. Relevant terminology and hate crime reporting rates are also discussed.
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Overcoming LGBT+ Bias: Perspectives of LGBT+ Constables Negotiating Cop Culture Heather Panter, M.S. PhD Candidate LJMU
Heterosexism and Genderism Within Policing • What are the occupational experiences and perceptions of officers who of identify as LGBT+ within policing? • What are the observed occupational differences between lesbians, gay men, transwomen, and transmen within policing? • What creates a positive and/or negative work environment for LGBT+ officers? • What implications for police policy and practice arise from this study?
Relevant terminology • Androgyne • Bigender • Butch • Cisgender • Crossdresser • FTM • Genderfluid • Genderfuck • Genderqueer • Intersex • MTF • Omnigender • Trans • Transfag • Tryke • Two Spirit • Assexual • Bisexual • Gay • Lesbian • Non-monosexual • Pansexual • Queer • Questioning • Same gender loving • Straight Gender Identity Sexuality
“If we borrow the terminology of the Macpherson report, historical police practice amounted to ‘intuitional’ homophobia and transphobia” (LGBT Advisory Group 2007, pp. 8). The murders the LGBT Advisory Group examined included: • Murder of Michael Boothe (1990, unsolved) • Murders committed by serial murder Colin Ireland (1993, solved) • Murder of Robyn Browne (1997, solved) • Murder of JaapBornkamp (2007, unsolved) • Murder of Geoffrey Windsor (2002, unsolved) • Murder of David Ridehalgh (2002, unsolved)
Hate Crime Reporting Rates in England and Wales 2011/2012 (Home Office)
Treatment by Police of Trans Individuals • Trans Individuals are 3.32 times more likely to experience police violence compared to non-trans individuals (Chestnut et al. 2013). • Trans individuals of colour are 2.59 times more likely to experience physical violence compared to their white counterparts (Chestnut et al. 2013). • Trans women are 2.90 times more likely to experience police violence compared to non-trans individuals (Chestnut et al. 2013). • 57% of hate crimes are not reported to the police.
Opinions on Reporting Rates of Trans Specific Hate Crimes “Erin”: ‘Normally transwomen are the victims of trans hate crime because on average they ‘pass’ as less well…for them to pick up the phone and speak means they run a risk of being victimized twice because they get addressed as ‘sir’ over the phone and then actually what you are asking them to do…you are asking them to make public the fact that they fail to pass…not only to you but then they have to go to court in front of a bunch of other people if they fail to pass...so really…that’s a police service mentality…police service perspective…it is not really necessarily what the trans community want’.
Occupational Experiences “Sarah”: ‘Colleague approached me with a pair of bolt croppers when enroute to the found property cupboard; “I could save you some money on surgery” and snapped them closed. I informed him that I required my penis flesh remaining intact to have it turned inside out—the colleague then commented he would try kicking me in the crotch as that may turn inside out’. “Ellie” Disclosed a story in which she was physically attacked off-duty outside her personal residence by a neighbouring constabulary and told “you have no business being in policing”.
Occupational Complaints • “Sarah’s” formal complaint and school children. • Uniform violations due to lack of transition policy. • “Erin”: ‘When it comes to male supervisors they are not comfortable talking to trans women about the process…or…they just don’t understand it…in all our complaint cases it has been a male supervisor who has had the problem with transwomen’. Attributed to the fact that most males are in leadership roles within policing. Also there is a consistency with research that draws links between heterosexuality and perceived gender perceptions (Schilt and Westbrook, 2009).
Trans constable identities and Gender Performance • Transwomen and transmen reported different experiences within policing. Transmen reported having less incidents of ‘unfriendly’ workplace experiences. This is consistent with other occupational studies (Law et al. 2011; Schilt and Connell, 2007). • Social role theories (Eagly, 1987; Eagly et al. 2007) due to the shift in gender status and perceived gender norms. • Perceived gender norms are a result of the concept that society regards men more highly than women (Schilt, 2006; Schilt and Wiswell, 2008).
Trans Status and Socialization • Example of being ‘outed’. • “Erin”: ‘I thought great, I survived being a gay woman now I am going to come across as someone who is genderqueer which most people don’t understand…so I am going to be very careful about this and very cautious about who I tell…which led me probably to be a little isolated on my team’.
Socialization and choosing to ‘hide in the closet’ • “Tom” ‘The police can’t even cope with gay people…they have no idea on how to deal with the gay issue. Their idea was having the gay times locked up in the cupboard…How are they going to cope with someone who is transgender?’ Similar to what Ellis (1996), Waldo (1999), Winfield and Spielman (1995) found in gay non-police occupational studies.
