Media representation of the Equality March in Ukraine: transformation of narratives and visual strategies before and after the full-scale invasion
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.28925/2311-259x.2025.3.11Keywords:
LGBTQ+, media representation, Equality March, KyivPride, narrative analysis, multimodal analysis, war in Ukraine, mediaAbstract
This article examines the transformations in the media representation of the Equality March (specifically, the KyivPride March) in Ukraine in 2021 and 2024, based on materials from four key media outlets: Suspilne, TSN, Radio Liberty and Strana.ua. The relevance of the study is determined by changes in the socio-political context caused by the full-scale war, which has significantly influenced the narrative and visual strategies for covering the LGBTQ+ community in Ukrainian media. The subject of the research encompasses narrative constructions and multimodal elements that shape the image of Equality March participants in the media space amid armed conflict.
The aim of the study is to identify changes in dominant media narratives and visual representations of LGBTQ+ people in the context of military events, as well as to determine the impact of these transformations on the public perception of the community. The study analyzed 61 materials from 2021 and 2024 using a narrative approach (Bruner, 1991; Riessman, 2008) and the method of multimodal analysis (Kress, & van Leeuwen, 2001; Bateman, 2014), which enabled a comprehensive examination of textual and visual components in the media.
The results indicate that in 2024, against the backdrop of geopolitical changes, LGBTQ+ themes are integrated into patriotic and wartime contexts. There is a shift from the human rights focus of 2021 to themes emphasizing the civic and state-building roles of military personnel and legislative initiatives on registered partnerships. Multimodal analysis revealed changes in visual emphases: from conflict-oriented depictions of protests in 2021 to positive representations of LGBTQ+ military personnel and diplomats in 2024. The analysis of media outlets shows that Suspilne and Radio Liberty consistently promote tolerance and democratic values, TSN adapts by softening conflict portrayals, while Strana.ua maintains a negative, pro-Russian narrative.
The novelty of the work lies in the comprehensive integration of narrative and multimodal analysis to study the influence of wartime context on the media representation of LGBTQ+ people in Ukraine. The practical value is seen in understanding the role of the media in shaping public opinion about the LGBTQ+ community during war, which is important for activists, journalists, and policymakers.
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