Real Men Use Non-Lethals: Appeals to Masculinity in Marketing Police Weaponry

In recent years, a range of new nonlethal weapons have been introduced for use by
police officers, military personnel, and other consumers. This article examines how
manufacturers are employing ideals of masculinity as both physical dominance and
technical expertise in marketing these weapons to police officials. Based on a case
study of a major weapons manufacturer’s educational and sales conference, the authors explore how marketing appeals are adapted to suit a hypermasculine police subculture. Connell’s theory of masculinities is employed to understand how such a tightly defined subculture absorbs challenges to its core values of hegemonic hypermasculinity and reimagines itself to keep those core values intact.