Surviving the Landings: An Autoethnographic Account of Being a Gay Female Prison Officer (in an Adult Male Prison in England)

Nixon, Sarah ORCID: 0000-0003-4522-211X (2022) Surviving the Landings: An Autoethnographic Account of Being a Gay Female Prison Officer (in an Adult Male Prison in England). Women and Criminal Justice, 32 (1-2). pp. 111-130. doi:10.1080/08974454.2021.1905587

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Abstract

Female correctional staff face multiple challenges when working in a male prison environment. Perceptions of competence and gendered divisions of labor are prevalent in the negotiated order of a prison. Sexuality is a dynamic that is irrelevant to the demands of a correctional officer yet a significant identity to be managed and negotiated in interactions with both colleagues and prisoners. This study adopts an auto ethnographic approach to highlight discrimination in prison officer occupational culture. Drawing upon personal narratives whilst working in an adult male prison in England, lived experiences of homophobia and sexism are presented to identify the challenges faced as a gay female prison officer. Themes of sexual objectification, homophobia and workplace incivility identify failings within the English prison service in supporting workplace diversity and inclusivity.

Item Type:	Article
Article Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Gender; Prison officers; Sexuality
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology. > HV6001 Criminology H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology. > HV7231 Criminal justice administration
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > School of Business, Computing and Social Sciences
Research Priority Areas:	Culture, Continuity, and Transformation
Depositing User:	Rhiannon Goodland
Date Deposited:	29 Apr 2021 15:23
Last Modified:	09 Oct 2023 12:50
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/9610

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