After passing the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2000, gender mainstreaming has, at least rhetorically, been at the heart of UN and UN-mandated peace and security operations. Research of peacekeeping missions from a gender perspective tends to show that while during the last ten years some slow progress in mainstreaming a gender perspective into peacekeeping missions has been made, huge contradictions between the official 1325-rhetorics and reality on the field in the peacekeeping missions remain. While actual gender mainstreaming, i.e. going beyond the ‘womenandchildren’ approach criticised by Cynthia Enloe, ‘on the ground’ at the operational level has often been less than impressive, the same can be said for feminist critiques of gender peace and security. All too often, simplistic and essentialising stereotypes are drawn upon, such as those of the ‘passive, female peacemaker’ and ‘aggressive male warrior’ without investigating the multiplicities of gender identities. In studies of men and masculinity, hegemonic military masculinity is often seen as a source of problems for the gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping. However, instead of one, clearly definable masculinity even in the military and peacekeeping context, there is much variation of peacekeeper masculinities. This encourages us to examine performances of peacekeeper masculinities further. Drawing on field research in Haiti and Timor-Leste and interviews with Finnish peacekeepers in missions in Afghanistan, Eritrea, Kosovo and Lebanon, we examine how different peacekeeper masculinities are enacted, discussed and represented. These different performances include ‘the born warrior'', which is closest to the stereotype of hegemonic military masculinity; the ‘reliable professional’ who is neutrally and even-handedly performing the tasks at hand to the best of his ability and the ‘sensitive dads’ who stress the value of their families and take on caring roles in the missions as well. In the discourses, these performances are often contrasted with those of peacekeepers from other nations as well as the host community, often drawing on national or ethnic stereotypes. In addition to examining the different performances of peacekeeper masculinities, we also explore the unwillingness or difficulties which many of our respondents had in talking about issues such as gender dynamics within the peacekeeper community, in the local society or negative gendered consequences of peacekeeping missions (e.g. prostitution). Often, this reluctance to address gender issues was cloaked in an attitude of ‘gender-neutral’ professionalism.
