His loss is deeply felt in Ukraine’s LGBTQ+ community and beyond. But his legacy — of beauty, defiance, and courage — lives on in everyone who refuses to disappear.

We first met at a joint Pride march between Warsaw Pride and Kyiv Pride, where Marlen presided over the Ukrainian float like a guardian angel — radiant, fearless, larger than life.

I was saddened to learn of the death of Marlen Scandal shortly before The Queer Face of War was published. Marlen was a veteran, an activist in two revolutions, and a drag performer who carried Ukraine’s story across the world. 🕯️

This is Oleksii Polukhin.
Russian soldiers detained and tortured him for more than two months, demanding he identify other LGBTQ+ activists and members of the Ukrainian resistance.

After a few trips to Ukraine, I realized I was building a historic collection of portraits and oral history, giving a broad look at a queer community in war. There’s never been a project like this, since queer people usually have to stay hidden in war zones because they’re targeted for violence.

I was back in Ukraine again in 2022, this time as a human rights researcher interviewing queer Ukrainians to learn how Russia had weaponized homophobia and how they were fighting back.

These conversations became The Queer Face of War, with every testimony accompanied by a portrait.

When BuzzFeed News hired me as a global queer rights correspondent in 2013, my first assignment took me to Kyiv, where I wrote about how Russia was trying to scare Ukrainians away from alliances with western democracy with slogans like “Association with the EU equals same-sex marriage.”

After a few trips to Ukraine, I realized I was building a historic collection of portraits and oral history, giving a broad look at a queer community in war. There’s never been a project like this, since queer people usually have to stay hidden in war zones because they’re targeted for violence.

I was back in Ukraine again in 2022, this time as a human rights researcher interviewing queer Ukrainians to learn
how Russia had weaponized homophobia and how they were fighting back.

These conversations became The Queer Face of War, with every testimony accompanied by a portrait.

The Queer Face of War features portraits and stories of more than 40 LGBTQ+ Ukrainians, telling the story of how Putin weaponized homophobia in his crusade against democracy and how queer Ukrainians organized to defend their country and their rights.

I am thrilled to share some exciting news: I’ve just published my first book, The Queer Face of War: Portraits and Stories from Ukraine, which is now on sale in the EU.

This project is the culmination of my journey as a journalist, activist, and photographer over the past 13 years.

Thrilled to share I’ve received an Excellence in Journalism Award from @nlgja for my @nytimes essay adapted from The Queer Face of War.

www.nytimes.com/2024/03/15/o...

📖 The book version of The Queer Face of War is coming soon. Stay tuned!

Snuggle Saturday #dogs