Authors

Nataliia Zalietok¹;  ¹ Ukrainian Research Institute of Archival Affairs and Records Keeping, Ukraine

Discussion

Although many Ukrainian women have voluntarily chosen a military career, joined the combat units that have been defending Ukraine in the East since 2014, and actively joined the Armed Forces and the Territorial Defense Forces with the outbreak of large-scale war on February 24, 2022, many stereotypes about servicewomen still hinder their comfortable service in the army. While Ukrainian legislation formally guarantees gender equality in the armed forces and servicewomen have gained greater visibility in public discourse, societal perceptions often fail to recognize them as equal to their male counterparts. This study explores how Ukrainian media contribute to perpetuating gender hierarchies and examines the impact of Russia’s large-scale invasion on media narratives about Ukrainian female soldiers. It presents findings on how issues of beauty and appearance have been portrayed in Ukrainian media discourse, comparing perspectives before and after February 24, 2022. In particular, how prescriptive beauty norms are adapted to the military sphere, how society tries to control women’s bodies in the army, and how the state policy on clothing represents a vivid example of how a state can mobilize women during a war because of a lack of male resources to meet the needs of the army, but avoid radical changes in gender roles in society. By questioning established narratives about female roles in Ukrainian military, this study underscores the potential for the disruption of gender stereotypes amid war and seeks to challenge dominant discourses that often overlook or limit the full understanding of women’s contributions to the military effort.