Ukrainian conflict and resistance documented in 'The Queer Face of War'
The first in-depth visual and oral history of an LGBTQ+ community in war has been explored by award-winning photographer and journalist J. Lester Feder
A ground-breaking project has been published, exploring the experiences of LGBTQ+ Ukrainians.
Award-winning photographer and journalist J. Lester Feder has expanded his acclaimed New York Times essay into a comprehensive visual and oral history of queer people from the country amid the ongoing conflict, with portraits and stories, highlighting their struggle and resilience.
Titled "The Queer Face of War," the project aims to shin a light on the unique challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community in the war, showcasing both their vulnerabilities and their inspiring fight for democracy and equal rights.
It all comes as Russia's use of homophobia as a tool against Ukraine and its Western allies has been a theme in the conflict, which has been highlighted by Feder's work.
This all came about, however, a little bit as an accident.
Feder was interviewing queer Ukrainians in the war-torn nation as part of his work with the global LGBTQ+ organisation Outright International, interviewing people for a human rights report.
But it was the simple question of, 'Would you mind having your picture taken?' that inspired it all, when people kept saying 'yes'.
The narratives of individuals such as Viktor, who formed Ukraine's first LGBTQ+ soldiers' organisation, and Oleksii Polukhin, the first LGBTQ+ person to publicly cooperate with war crimes investigations, and Olena Hloba, who founded an organisation for the parents of LGBTQ+ children in 2012, reveal the courage and determination of the community.
'The role of LGBT soldiers has been so important in changing public opinion in Ukraine in support of LGBT rights'
"There's two pictures which really stand out to me," Feder told Hits Radio Pride.
"One is the image on the cover, which is the photo of a young man known as Oleksii Polukhin, who was detained in southern Ukraine pretty early in the full-scale invasion.
"Russian soldiers discovered LGBT Telegram groups on his phone, forced him to put on a dress for interrogation, and he was held for about two months, with the soldiers explicitly looking for queer organisations and activists.
"The image, he looks younger than he is in some ways, but is of him, who was the first LGBT person to come forward and report being persecuted for being queer by the Russians.
"In the back of my mind, when I was doing this project, was a German book called 'The Man With The Pink Triangle', which was an account by a gay survivor of the Nazi concentration camps, and even then, the real name of the person was disguised, but that book is directly the reason the pink triangle became the symbol of gay liberation.
"So, the fact that Oleksii wanted to tell his story, months after being detained, shows not only what a sea change we're in, but how much Ukrainians think it's important that they tell their accounts of what's happening.
"The other which comes to mind is a picture of a man called Viktor Pylypenko, who founded Ukraine's LGBT military association.
"He joined the military initially hoping that it'd turn him straight.
"The in 2014-15, he served on the front lines in the fighting, survived some of the bloodiest battles, and was then on the front lines for most of the early period of the war.
"The role of that organisation, and LGBT soldiers, has been so important in changing public opinion in Ukraine in support of LGBT rights.
"It just started with an Instagram account, posting about queer soldiers, making the ultimate commitment to citizenship.
"Being visible in that way was really critical.
"I was lucky to photograph Viktor in Kyiv, and one thing the Ukrainian government is doing is placing things that have been destroyed by the Russians as an art installation on the street to remind people of what's going on.
"So, this photo was in front of an electrical transformer, placed there, with writing on it, spelling out, 'this is where your life comes from'.
"Not only was it a statement about infrastructure, but also the importance of people like him protecting Ukraine so people can have these life amenities, like electricity."
'This whole project, the fact that the war is happening is a horrific tragedy'
The message of the book is that, 'for queer people, visibility is power'.
And what's been most inspiring, as Feder added, is how every one of the book's subjects is a stark reminder of the continued fight for hope: "There's just so many powerful stories - and the fact that Artur Ozerov - who plays the role as drag queen AuRa - is even a story at all is extraordinary.
"He hadn't been doing drag for very long when the full-scale invasion happened.
"He worked for the military administration, and one of his first jobs was building coffins for the mass graves after the Russian occupation.
"A reporter interviewed him, and found out he did drag, and it made him a celebrity in Ukraine, in a really positive way.
"As a result, he decided it was important to continue doing drag to portray the message that this is what a patriot looks like - and that is really powerful.
"This whole project, the fact that the war is happening is a horrific tragedy.
"Ukraine has been fighting for its existence for decades, and also the idea that we can live in a world defined by democracy and human rights has been shattered in recent years.
"The was against Ukraine, for me, was the most powerful sign of just how much that hope was faltering.
"The stories of the victims in this book are sad, and are reminders that queer people are especially vulnerable in wartime, and it's definitely a warning that we need to remember we're not just fighting for our rights.
"We're fighting for a pluralistic democracy where all marginalised groups have a place, and it's a message to people who consider themselves to be supportive of democracy that you can't pick and choose who gets to be a part of it."
'It seems like the work really resonated'
J. Lester Feder's work was showcased at this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna.
Along with the prints, the show premiered a video installation created in collaboration with graphic designer Marcel Wulf, and a sound installation by Kyiv sound artist Alice Haspyd, built with excerpts of my interviews for the project and her original music.
Feder reflected: "It was really moving, we got wonderful coverage in the local newspaper, and it seems like the work really resonated with people.
"It's just been at World Pride in Amsterdam, as well.
"One of the things I really wanted to accomplish with this project is to make clear in countries like Austria, or the Netherlands, that the way Russia is using homophobia to attack democracy in Ukraine is not just a Ukrainian problem.
"It's being borrowed by anti-democratic forces all over the world.
"And so it was really powerful to be able to bring this to a space which was really thinking about European values were on some level, and also in an environment that was queer-coded, so that was a really exciting opportunity.
"As an American, it was my first Eurovision, and I found it both very fun and extremely moving, which caught me completely by surprise!"
"The Queer Face of War" serves as an essential record of queer history and stands as a testament to the power of visibility and resistance amid rising authoritarianism.
Highlights include the harrowing stories of people like Diana, who defiantly stood her ground in the face of grave danger in Kherson, and Vadim, who faced a hate crime in Kyiv and navigated his escape under challenging circumstances.
Artur Ozerov, a drag queen supporting Kyiv’s Military Administration, represents how people from all walks of life contribute to the war effort.
Olena Hloba continued her advocacy despite personal tragedy, and the young Adam found a way to return home after being sent to Russia against his will.
This project offers a poignant glimpse into the lives of queer Ukrainians and their ongoing struggle for rights and recognition.
You can find out more about the book here.