Beyond or In the Midst of the Masculinized Intelligence Community in Poland

The implementation of equality and antidiscrimination strategies in Polish intelligence and counterintelligence institutions has lagged behind the rise in the number of female functionaries serving in them. Women in the Polish secret services are exposed to systemic prejudices and stereotypes that are rooted in a patriarchal mentality and in so-called muscular thinking. The underrepresentation of women in top management and leadership positions continues to be a barrier for women seeking careers in military and civilian agencies. Due to the hermetic and hierarchical character of such institutions and the predominance of men in them, organized promotion of gender diversity is very important. This is nonetheless related to the issue of tokenism, which leads to the informal isolation of women and to role encapsulation. The position of women in a male-dominated environment is undermined by the behavior patterns established by culture and the biological features attributed to the female body and to femininity. Changes have been initiated by women networking in Polish security institutions, but this is a gradual process. Notes1 Stéphane Lefebvre, "Poland's Attempts to Develop a Democratic and Effective Intelligence System, Phase 1: 1989–1999," International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence, Vol. 29, No. 3 (2016), pp. 470–502.2 Artur Gruszczak, "Poland: The Special Services since the Independence," in Handbook of European Intelligence Cultures, edited by Bob de Graaff, James M. Nyce, and Chelsea Locke (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2016), pp. 279–290.3 Zbigniew Siemiątkowski and Aleksandra Zięba (eds.), Służby specjalne we współczesnym państwie (Warsaw: Dom Wydawniczy Elipsa, 2016), pp. 9–10.4 Cynthia Enloe, Globalization & Militarism: Feminists Make the Link (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2007), p. 40.5 Elżbieta Karolczuk, "Counteracting Challenges to Gender Equality in the Era of Anti-Gender Campaigns: Competing Gender Knowledges and Affective Solidarity," Social Politics, Vol. 27, No. 4 (2020), pp. 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1093/sp/jxaa0216 Agnieszka Małocha-Krupa, Feminatiwum w uwikłaniach językowo-kulturowych (Wrocław: Oficyna Wydawnicza ATUT-Wrocławskie Wydawnictwo Oświatowe, 2018).7 Aleksandra Gasztold, "The Problem of Security through the Gendered Lens," Annals of the University of Craiova, Series: Philology—English Year XVII, No. 1 (2016), pp. 164–178.8 Kornela Oblińska, "Kultura organizacyjna w procesie zarządzania Policją" in Kultura organizacyjna w służbach mundurowych, edited by Marcin Hermanowski and Kornela Oblińska, (Poznań-Warsaw: WSUS, 2015), p. 32; See also Geert Hofstede, "Dimensionalizing Cultures: The Hofstede Model in Context," Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, Vol. 2, No. 1 (2011). https://doi.org/10.9707/2307-0919.1014; Hamilton Bean, "Organizational Culture and US Intelligence Affairs," Intelligence and National Security, Vol. 24, No. 4 (2009), pp. 479–498. https://doi.org/10.1080/026845209030694139 Aleksandra Gasztold, Feminist Perspectives on Terrorism: Critical Approaches to Security Studies (Cham, Switzerland: Springer, 2020), pp. 41–42.10 Sara Ruddick, Maternal Thinking toward a Politics of Peace (New York: Ballantine Books 1989).11 Confidential interviews with intelligence and counterintelligence officials.12 Inger Sklelsbæk, "Is Feminity Inherently Peaceful? The Construction of Feminity in War," in Gender, Peace and Conflict, edited by Inger Sklelsbæk and Dan Smith (London: Sage Publication, 2001), p. 62.13 See: Joshua S. Goldstein, War and Gender: How Gender Shapes the War System and Vice Versa (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2001).14 Pauline R. Clance and Suzanne A. Imes, "The Imposter Phenomenon in High Achieving Women: Dynamics and Therapeutic Intervention," Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, Vol. 15, No. 3 (1978), pp. 241–247. https://doi.org/10.1037/h008600615 Ruling of the Constitutional Tribunal of 29 June 2006, Sygn. akt P 30/05, Wyrok Trybunału Konstytucyjnego z dnia 29 czerwca 2006 r. sygn. akt P 30/05 (sejm.gov.pl).16 Confidential interviews with intelligence and counterintelligence officials.17 The male gaze theory was introduced by Laura Mulvey, "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema," Screen, Vol. 16, No. 3 (1975), pp. 6–18.18 David Lewis, Sexpionage: The Exploitation of Sex by Soviet Intelligence (New York, London: Harcourt Brace Javanowich, 1976); Nigel West, The A to Z of Sexpionage, (Lanham, MD; Toronto; Plymouth, UK: The Scarecrow Press, 2009); Saša Mijalković, "'Sex-Espionage' as a Method of Intelligence and Security Agencies," Bezbednost Beograd, Vol. 56, No. 1 (2014), pp. 5–22; Donald A. Petkus, "Ethics of Human Intelligence Operations: Of MICE and Men," International Journal of Intelligence Ethics, Vol. 1, No. 1 (2010), pp. 97–127.19 Mateusz Kolaszyński, "Intelligence Control and Oversight in Poland since 1989," International Journal of Intelligence Security and Public Affairs, Vol. 20, No. 3 (2018), pp. 230–251. https://doi.org/10.1080/23800992.2018.153218220 Journal of Law [Dziennik Ustaw], from 2003, No. 88, Item 809.21 Journal of Law, from 2003, No. 187, Item 1824.22 Danuta Bukowiecka, "Dymorfizm płciowy kompetencji psychomotorycznych w Policji," in Kobiety w systemie bezpieczeństwa państwa, edited by Aleksandra Gasztold and Kornela Oblińska (Warsaw: Dom Wydawniczy Elipsa 2021), pp. 75–85.23 Interview with Tomasz Oklejak, head of the Soldiers' Affairs Department in the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Naczelnik Wydziału Spraw Żołnierzy w Biurze Rzecznika Praw Obywatelskich), 21 July 2021, Warsaw Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights.24 Megan Bastic, Gender and Complaints Mechanisms: A Handbook for Armed Forces and Ombuds Institutions to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Related Discrimination, Harassment, Bullying and Abuse (Geneva: DECAF, 2015), p. 43.25 Twitter: @AWgovPL; Facebook: http://facebook/AWgovPL26 Bukowiecka, "Dymorfizm płciowy kompetencji psychomotorycznych w Policji," p. 80.27 Confidential interviews with state officials.28 Data obtained from the Legal Office of the Internal Security Agency (ABW) in May 2021 and from the Intelligence Agency (AW) in June 2021.29 Aleksandra Komar, "Wybrane aspekty tokenizmu jako przykłady dyskryminacji kobiet w służbach mundurowych w Polsce," Kwartalnik Naukowy OAP e-Politikon, No. 30 (2019), p. 137.30 The Polish Constitution of 2 April 1997 [Journal of Law, from 1997, No. 78, Item 483; from 2001, No. 28, Item 319; from 2006, No. 200, Item 1471; and from 2009, No. 114, Item 946].31 The Act of 20 April 2004 on the Promotion of Employment and Labor Market Institutions [Journal of Law, from 2020, Item 2023 with amendments]; the Act of 19 August 2011 on Sign Language and Other Means of Communication [Journal of Law, from 2017, Item 1824 with amendments]; the Act of 2 July 2004 on the Liberty of Economic Activity [Journal of Law, from 2011, Item 764 with amendments]; and Act of 6 January 2005 on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages [Journal of Law, from 2017, Item 823 with amendments].32 Journal of Law, from 2020, Item 1320 with amendments.33 Journal of Law, from 2010, No. 254, Item 1700.34 Aleksandra Nowicka, "Polityki równościowe i antydyskryminacyjne w służbach mundurowych wybrane rozwiązania krajowe i międzynarodowe," in Kobiety w systemie bezpieczeństwa państwa, edited by Aleksandra Gasztold and Kornela Oblińska (Warsaw: Dom Wydawniczy Elipsa 2021), p. 125.35 Ruling of the Constitutional Tribunal from 14 December 1999, SK 14/98, https://sip.lex.pl/orzeczenia-i-pisma-urzedowe/orzeczenia-sadow/sk-14-98-wyrok-trybunalu-konstytucyjnego-520132931 (accessed 1 October 2021).36 Ibid.37 Art. 5, Pt. 2 of the Act of 30 August 2002, Law on Proceedings before Administrative Courts [Journal of Law, from 2019, Item 2325 with amendments].38 Journal of Law, from 2020, Item 27 with amendments.39 Raport na temat równego traktowania kobiet i mężczyzn w służbach mundurowych podległych Ministrowi Spraw Wewnętrznych lub przez niego nadzorowanych, Ministry of the Interior and Administration, February 2014. https://archiwum.mswia.gov.pl/pl/aktualnosci/11895,Raport-MSW-o-rownym-traktowaniu-kobiet-i-mezczyzn-w-sluzbach.html40 Interview with Tomasz Oklejak, 21 July 2021.41 Interview with former member of the Opinion and Advisory Team for Women in Uniformed Services at the Government Spokesperson for Equal Treatment, Police Junior Inspector Kornela Oblińska, Warsaw, 13 July 2021.42 Polish National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security 2018–2021 (Warsaw: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 22 October 2018).43 Interview with Kornela Oblińska, 13 July 2021.44 The Police Equal Opportunities Strategy Team was established by the Main Police Commander's Decision No. 201 of 27 May 2014.45 https://saystop.pl/46 http://www.ptpa.org.pl/47 Matthew Crosston, "Petticoat Promise: Gender and the CIA in the #MeToo Era," International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence, Vol. 33, No. 4 (2020), p. 732. doi:10.1080/08850607.2019.170614648 Journal of Law, from 2010, No. 182, Item 1228.49 Interview with Tomasz Oklejak, head of the Soldiers' Affairs Department in the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights, 21 July 2021, Warsaw Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights.50 Letter of the Commissioner for Human Rights to the Prime Minister of 26 June 2017 (WZF.7043.68.2017.TO).51 Interview with Tomasz Oklejak, 21 July 2021.52 Letter of the Commissioner for Human Rights to the Prime Minister of 16 April 2018 (KMP.570.1.2018).53 Directive (EU) 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the European Council of 23 October 2019 on the Protection of Persons who Report Breaches of Union Law, Official Journal of the European Union, 26 November 2019, L. 305/17-55.54 Przeciwdziałanie mobbingowi i dyskryminacji w służbach mundurowych. Analiza i zalecenia, Rzecznik Praw Obywatelskich, Warsaw (2018), https://www.rpo.gov.pl/pl/content/przeciwdzialanie-mobbingowi-i-dyskryminacji-w-sluzbach-mundurowych; Raport na temat równego traktowania kobiet i mężczyzn w służbach mundurowych podległych Ministrowi Spraw Wewnętrznych lub przez niego nadzorowanych,55 Interview with Tomasz Oklejak, 21 July 2021.56 Letter of the Commissioner for Human Rights to the President of the Republic of Poland of 11 December 2017 (WZF.519.7.2017.TO).57 The Internal Supervision Bureau as an organizational unit in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration headed by the internal supervision inspector was established by the Act of 9 November 2017 on Amending the Act on Certain Rights of Employees of the Office Serving the Minister Responsible for Internal Affairs and Officers and Employees of Offices Supervised by the Minister and Certain Other Acts (Journal of Law, 2018, Item 106).58 Document in the author's possession, obtained from the director of the Human Resources and Training Office of the Foreign Intelligence Agency, Warsaw, 30 June 2021.59 Confidential interview with intelligence official.60 Maria Zielińska, Gotowi na dorosłość? Projekty życiowe i zasoby społeczne pokolenia 2.0 (Warsaw: Wydawnictwo IFIS, 2020); Małgorzata Rękosiewicz, "Type of Social Participation and Identity Formation in Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood," Polish Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 44, No. 3 (2013), pp. 277–287.61 The National Action Program for Equal Treatment 2013–2016, adopted on 10 December 2013 by the Government of the Republic of Poland, prepared on the basis of the Act of 3 December 2010 on the Implementation of Certain Provisions of the European Union on Equal Treatment [Journal of Law, from 2010, No. 254, Item 1700 with amendments). See Kornela Oblińska, "Zespół ds. strategii równych szans w Policji—Kształtowane kultury organizacyjnej," in Kobiety w polskich służbach mundurowych. Role zadania i wyzwania, edited by Ewelina Waśko-Owsiejczuk (Warsaw: Aspra 2018), p. 289

Counterintelligence · Femininity · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Sociology · Tokenism · Gender Studies · Gender, Security, and Conflict · Law

• Building blind spots

  Erin Lemons, Ruth Margolies Beitler•Intelligence & National Security•2025

  Add to list

• Women in intelligence

  Nicole K Drumhiller•Intelligence & National Security•2025

  Add to list