Gender Police
Gender Police are Agents of Socialization who work to enforce Binary Gender roles. Gender policing is the enforcement of Binary Gender roles. Gender police reward normative gender performances (i.e. performances where boys act and dress like boys, and girls act and dress like girls), and punish violations. Punishment for violation of gender roles ranges in intensity from insults and derision acts of brutal violence.
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Gender is first policed by parents, teachers, and day care providers. Gender policing begins at birth with the forced imposition of pink or blue, and continues through early childhood and adolescence. Initially parents, teachers, priests, and other Agents of Socialization impose gender norms; however, during adolescence gender policing amongst peers becomes common. During adulthood, gender policing is typically subtle. Adults use jokes and derision to enforce normative gender expressions, however overt forms of aggression and violence becoming increasingly likely as individuals deviate further from prescribed gender roles.
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