Author and photojournalist J. Lester Feder has released "The Queer Face of War," a chronicle of the hardships facing Ukraine’s LGBTQ+ community during Russia’s invasion.
The work highlights the intersection of wartime violence and systemic discrimination. By documenting the specific struggles of queer individuals, Feder brings visibility to a population that often faces displacement and marginalization even while fighting for national survival.
The project comes more than four years [1] after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Feder's documentation focuses on the unique pressures encountered by LGBTQ+ Ukrainians in cities like Kyiv, where the community continues to seek spaces for expression and safety amid ongoing conflict.
Beyond the immediate violence of war, the book examines how displacement affects queer individuals. These populations often lack the same social support systems as their heterosexual counterparts, making the search for refuge more precarious.
Cultural resilience remains a focal point for the community in Kyiv. This is evidenced by events such as the third edition [3] of the Sunny Bunny LGBTQ+ film festival, which provides a platform for queer cinema and identity in the capital.
Feder used photojournalism to capture the lived experiences of those navigating these dual crises. The imagery and narratives aim to prevent the specific erasure of LGBTQ+ contributions and suffering from the broader historical record of the war.
Through this documentation, Feder emphasizes that the struggle for human rights is inextricably linked to the struggle for territorial sovereignty. The book serves as a record of both the vulnerability and the endurance of a community fighting on two fronts—against an external invader and internal prejudice.
“The book "The Queer Face of War" chronicles hardships for Ukraine’s LGBTQ+ community during Russia’s invasion”
The documentation of LGBTQ+ experiences in Ukraine provides a critical layer to the historical record of the conflict. By highlighting the specific vulnerabilities of queer populations, the work demonstrates how war can exacerbate existing social inequalities and marginalization, while simultaneously showing how marginalized groups integrate into national defense and resilience efforts.
