During the horrific school shooting last month in Parkland, Florida, one of the sheriff’s deputies on the scene did not enter the building to confront the attacker. The internet, Parkland officials, and politicians reacted swiftly. The deputy was criticized by his boss for his supposed inaction and was called a “coward” by the president of the United States.
Emergency Responders and the Dangers of “Masculinity Contests”
After the horrific school shooting in Parkland, Florida, an officer was called a coward by the president of the United States due to his perceived inaction during the incident. Research shows that this type of labeling reflects what researchers call masculinity contest cultures, which prize such traits as heroism and strength above ones like safety and caring. Research shows that when masculinity contest cultures are valorized, situations unfold that hurt men, the organizations for which they work, and the people they seek to protect. Scolding emergency responders for violating masculine ideals is not helping anybody — and, in fact, may do substantially more harm in the long-run. Companies, particularly those that do emergency response work, should consider another body of research that shows that breaking free from masculinity contest cultures can result in more engaged workers and more productive organizations.