Women’s Representation on Kazakhstani YouTube: A Qualitative Content Analysis

This study examines how female identities are constructed and received on Kazakhstan’s YouTube media platforms. It compares representations of women in state-affiliated and independent video channels and analyses audience reactions to these portrayals. Particular attention is paid to emotionally charged topics and how conflicting gender perspectives are expressed in viewer comments. The analysis is based on eight videos selected through purposive sampling, comprising state-produced content and independent self-presentations. Qualitative content analysis was conducted using MAXQDA software. Findings indicate that official videos tend to portray a visually neutral, modernised image of women, while subtly maintaining patriarchal patterns. Independent sources, by contrast, offer a broader spectrum of representations – from traditional and religious to modernist and self-sacrificial. A paradoxical image of the woman as both mother and professional appears across both types of discourse. Furthermore, the comment analysis reveals a high degree of emotional engagement, particularly around issues such as victim-blaming, religiously framed gender roles, and female morality. Overall, the study highlights the significance of self-presentation as a form of female subjectivity and contributes to a deeper understanding of gender attitudes in contemporary Kazakhstani society.