The portrayal of female soldiers: A comparative analysis of German and U.S. Military recruitment videos on social media

Abstract Militaries worldwide are increasingly relying on social media to address recruitment challenges, particularly in attracting women to their ranks. This study compares the portrayal of female soldiers and military life in YouTube Shorts from the U.S. Army and the German Bundeswehr. It analyses how these militaries depict female soldiers in their recruitment efforts and the impact of these portrayals in reinforcing or challenging the male-dominated image of military service. Grounded in post-constructivist feminist theory, this study argues that cultural and historical differences between the U.S. and Germany shape the ways in which women are portrayed in these videos. Using a multimodal discourse analytical approach, the findings show that the U.S. Army focuses on diversity, self-empowerment and collective military pride, while the Bundeswehr emphasises civilian duties and professionalism. Both militaries avoid depictions of violence, promoting military service as a path of personal growth and adventure. This study contributes to the study of gender and military recruitment by showing how differing cultural contexts influence the representation of women in military service. It calls for further research into how these portrayals affect recruitment outcomes and the real-life experiences of female soldiers.