Understanding the Gendered Landscape of the Police Force in China: A Qualitative Study of Chinese Women Police Officers

Abstract

This article considers how women police in China construct and negotiate a delicate balance of identities due to societal norms, workplace dynamics, and the weight of tradition. Using data from interviews with 18 women officers, we found patterns suggesting that Chinese women officers are neither willing to be bound by reductive stereotypes, nor willing to abandon the core elements of their feminine identity. As a result, the findings from this sample indicate that they find themselves at a pivotal crossroads, eager to forge a novel definition of what it means to be a “good woman” within the realm of policing.