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Thirty-one years after UK (and EU) equality legislation making gender discrimination at work illegal, women who join the UK fire service still suffer discrimination. My latest research, which is a repeat of an earlier survey, indicating levels of harassment at over 60%. In practice, firemen are effectively limiting the amount of women firefighters at token level (2.2% of a workforce of nearly 34,000). The difficulties that women firefighters experience with their male ‘colleagues’ has been recognised by leading academics, researchers, Government reports, and representative bodies. This is not just a UK phenomenon but something that occurs throughout the world. Wherever they are in the world women’s safety in this male environment cannot be guaranteed. Most women’s experience of discrimination is similar, a series of small occurrences (individually almost insignificant) that firemen pass off as humour. But the purpose is not to be funny. The purpose is to marginalise women and ensure they recognise that they are not welcome. This works because the constant drip drip effect saps women’s confidence. Aware of what is happening, but trapped in the headlights, many of these women are unable to speak out until it is too late. By this time many are so weakened that they cannot face an official hearing and they accept a severance payment in return for their silence. Their masculinity preserved, the harasser wins and the woman is driven from a job that she loved. This workshop will first look at men’s attempts to preserve their ideal masculinity through the harassment of women in the fire service, identify how this fits with masculinity theory and then seek to discuss ways to empower women in this situation.

Stream: Gender and Sexuality

Paper: A paper has not yet been submitted.

After 30 years service as an operational London firefighter I came to Anglia Ruskin University, studied for a degree in sociology and then a PhD on the social construction of firefighter's masculinity. I then wrote and established the first public service degree in the UK and set up the first Fire Service Research and Training Unit. My teaching focuses on a critical study of uniformed public services. My research uses a developing understanding of gender construction to help the fire service become a more diverse organisation. I use my close links to the Fire Brigades Union, Government and the Fire Service both nationally and internationally to achieve this.

After a career as a mother of four Sarah came to Anglia Ruskin University and achieved a Public Service Degree. She is now undertaking post graduate teaching, study and research.