This research focuses on the use of feminized virtual avatars (FVAs) in the fashion industry and explores the risk of using FVAs for the appropriation and exploitation of marginalized communities and identities. Through a critical visual analysis of the virtual avatars Shudu Gram and Miquela Sousa, this study analyzes how they are made to represent gendered and racialized women’s bodies. The research aims to understand how the representations of FVAs reflect and influence power dynamics and social inequalities. This thesis found that the representations of Shudu and Miquela reflect and reinforce racial stereotypes, perpetuate gender inequalities, and uphold unrealistic beauty standards. Moreover, their representations of a Black woman and a Latina reinforce the exotification and Othering of Black women and Latinas, reducing their identities to a commodified aesthetic. Furthermore, the sexualized representations of Shudu and Miquela reinforce gender stereotypes and power imbalances. Finally, the lack of agency and autonomy in FVAs further complicates objectifying and exotifying portrayals. This research's theoretical and practical implications emphasize the need for critical analysis, ethical considerations, and inclusive practices in using FVAs. The study highlights the importance of critically analyzing FVAs and their implications within the context of gendered colonial legacies and structural inequalities.

The Swedish Armed Forces can be considered a hegemonic masculine organisation with deeply embedded patterns of patriarchy, as well as fratriarchy represented by notions of homogeneity and the male soldier. Women are highly underrepresented and face multiple double standards related to their performance of gender and more precisely performance of femininity. However, the Swedish Armed Forces claim to be an inclusive organisation and advertise this through different recruiting strategies, which display women in uniforms. This thesis uses the methodology of qualitative research by combining the methods of critical discourse analysis and critical visual analysis to analyse the representation and the performativity of gender in a recruiting advertisement for inclusivity by the Swedish Armed Forces. I argue that this advertisement led to a certain form of reproducing stereotypical notions of femininity by representing women who embody certain requirements connected to beauty standards. At the same time, notions of hegemonic masculinity and patriarchy are challenged through the representation of women in military uniforms.

The primary goal of this study is to observe how the meaning of nostalgia is negotiated and remediated in Li Ziqi’s short videos, and understand the construction and expression of pastoral images in the video, by examining its social modality of the audiencing site and the compositional and social modalities of the image site through a Critical Visual Approach(CVA). Except for CVA, Remix as a thinking tool helps to frame data selection, mixed methods and theories throughout. To be specific, the aim of this study is to examine Li Ziqi’s communication of nostalgia online via short videos, showcases how the pastoral characteristics are evoked in the videos and the relationship between nostalgia of pastoral life and short videos. Moreover, it is of interest to think about what nostalgia communication on short videos say about society. When it comes to the two sites, firstly, an ethnographic method of thick descriptions is used to study media text and selected comments on the audiencing site. Secondly, on the image site, compositional analysis on selected visual materials is used to examine its compositions and then signs and meanings embedded in them are analyzed through semiotic analysis and interpreted by thick descriptions. As for theories, nostalgia and media, the logic of social acceleration, remediation and new media, and simulacra and simulation are applied to facilitate discussion.

Social media analysis, in feminist critical military studies, is a highly underrepresented field. Although, the world is evolving faster than ever and, within the digitalised world, different methods of representation are used to (re-)produce ideologies, signify meanings, and interpellate individuals accordingly. Militaries are making use of social media accounts as representational tools to justify their informal and formal structures. Nonetheless, these organisations are challenged to become more inclusive, more democratic, and more diverse. The Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) is considered a highly heteronormative, masculine connotated, white organisation and is in the midst of transformation, too. On social media, the Bundeswehr tends to represent itself as a more inclusive, tolerant, and diverse organisation. Nonetheless, the public eyes are watching and valuing the reaction of this highly symbolic organisation when their heteronormative settings are under pressure. Opinions are shared, communities are formed, voices are being raised and simultaneously silenced. Thus, questions emerge, such as how are glimpses of inclusivity regarding gender norms and gender relations (re-)presented on the Bundeswehr’s Facebook account? How does the public engage with the posts? Who is included? Who remains hidden? Therefore, I have developed a case study in which I shall employ a mix of the methods and apply an intersectional lens to analyse glimpses of inclusivity on the Bundeswehr’s Facebook account. I argue glimpses of inclusivity have to be analysed from two perspectives. The Bundeswehr’s perspective needs to be analysed in relation to how they represent glimpses of inclusivity and how they negotiate possible tensions of inclusivity. At the same time, engagements with the posts by users in relation to glimpses of inclusivity and tensions of inclusivity are crucial to analyse, too.