The Women of the Israeli Army: A Special Look at Female Warriors in Rachel Papo's Photographs (27 photos)

Photographs of female soldiers serving in the IDF are nothing new these days. But most of them extol feminine charm, depicting sleek beauties languidly leaning on their machine guns and flaunting their luscious curves. The daily lives of female soldiers bear no resemblance to these images, as the army, especially the Israeli one, is a place of blood, sweat, and immense responsibility. Photographer Rachel Papo, a former conscript herself, decided to show female soldiers without embellishment.





Women in military uniform, guarding the State of Israel, don't always have model looks or time to apply makeup. Their beauty isn't found in their manicures and hairdos, but in their quiet strength and confidence in themselves, their military prowess, and their weapons.



Rachel Papo, despite being born in the United States, spent most of her life in Israel, where she fulfilled her military duty, serving under the number 3817131. This number became the title of her fascinating photo project, which showcases the female soldiers of the IDF without the slightest sentimentality.





Papo's works rethink the role of women in the modern world, where men's political games force mothers and homemakers to take up arms. Throughout human history, women have been antagonists of war, and if they have taken up arms, it has been to stop death and destruction. This is precisely what is demonstrated in the "No. 3817131" series.



Another goal of the photographer's project is to rid the world of the skepticism that has become the norm when a woman takes up arms. The subjects of Papo's photographs are not to be taken lightly—they are not always photogenic, sometimes focused, tired, or even upset. But they are always strikingly different from the frivolous, painted dolls that, thanks to popular culture, many men imagine female soldiers to be.



The typical work of the girls in Rachel Papo's photographs involves daily workouts, dressing up, and standing guard, often in the desert, under the merciless Israeli sun, rather than posing in cafes and by pools. Responsibility, discipline, complete dedication, and courage are valued more highly among them than evening gowns, fashionable swimsuits, and memberships to prestigious fitness clubs.





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It should be especially noted that the women of the Israeli army have a worthy opponent, which should not be underestimated under any circumstances.