LIVES ON THE FRONTLINE
Attitude|May/June 2022
With the help of Kyiv Pride executive director Lenny Emson, photographer and reporter Ilvy Njiokiktjien travelled to the city of Lviv in Ukraine to meet the LGBTQ+ community in a country fighting for its survival against an unrelenting Russian invasion. In these testimonies they reveal how they are fighting for hope and freedom
LIVES ON THE FRONTLINE

Denys Kratt (he/him), (pictured, right), 48, works as a marketing director of a Czech microbrewery/restaurant and is a drag queen. He and Dima, 34, a confectioner, have been together for 11 years. They are currently living and volunteering in the Lviv brewery/restaurant where Denys works, which has now been repurposed as a shelter for LGBTQI refugees. Denys’ house in Kharkiv and his parents’ apartment were decimated during the first days of the war.

Denys: I have never had a normal life. In this country I have lived through a revolution, an occupation, and a crisis in the 90s and, as an LGBTQI, we receive a lot of discrimination. I am so tired. I want to stay alive. Russian bombs and airplanes with rockets destroyed my flat, and my parents’ apartment. Everything I own, my car — even my two cats — is gone. In the first days of the war, I did not know if my mother was still alive — she was in Kharkiv and I was in Lviv for work.

Eleven years ago, Dima and I met in Kharkiv, where we both grew up. For the first part of our relationship, we couldn’t see each other at home because we were still living with our parents. We would meet in parks or in clubs.

After four years, we were able to live together in an apartment in Kharkiv that I inherited from my grandparents. The building is home to a lot of old people. Even though we never talk to them about us being gay, I have the feeling they somehow know. I never came out to my mother, even though she knows and understands it. Dima’s parents don’t know he is gay. He doesn’t want to publish pictures of us on Instagram, in case his family see them.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May/June 2022 من Attitude.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May/June 2022 من Attitude.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من ATTITUDE مشاهدة الكل
SUPER TROUPERS
Attitude UK

SUPER TROUPERS

Happily married couple Mark Gatiss and lan Hallard have collaborated on a play inspired by lan's devotion to ABBA. Now beginning its UK tour, The Way Old Friends Do is not about the Swedish superstars, but two mates performing as ABBA in drag. We interviewed the pair to find out more...

time-read
10 mins  |
March/April 2023
Welcome to MIAMI
Attitude UK

Welcome to MIAMI

We explore the queer and vibrant streets of Miami Beach before getting a feel for Wynwood, Miami's trendy up-and-coming neighbourhood

time-read
10+ mins  |
March/April 2023
Work of ART
Attitude UK

Work of ART

Michael F. Rumsby always aspired to be an artist. After a very successful career in PR, he's now following his passion full time, as he shares here

time-read
5 mins  |
March/April 2023
Right MOVES
Attitude UK

Right MOVES

Meet a fashion icon who can do it all. Sakeema Peng Crook is an international model, content creator, dancer and activist whose mantra is embodying positive change

time-read
1 min  |
March/April 2023
Getting SERIOUS
Attitude UK

Getting SERIOUS

Not content with making the nation laugh, comedian turned campaigner Joe Lycett has taken to speaking out on the issues of the day - from David Beckham becoming the face of antigay Qatar in the World Cup to the UK government's immigration policy. We loved him before but now we love him even more...

time-read
7 mins  |
March/April 2023
Transforming LIVES
Attitude UK

Transforming LIVES

In 2020, Dani St James founded Not A Phase, a charity that wants to make a difference for trans and gender-diverse adults. Here, she tells us more

time-read
4 mins  |
March/April 2023
A breath of FRESH AIR
Attitude UK

A breath of FRESH AIR

From encouraging cycling to implementing Ultra-Low Emission Oliver Lord has made London's controversial Zone, eco campaigner great strides towards cutting pollution

time-read
5 mins  |
March/April 2023
Freer THAN EVER
Attitude UK

Freer THAN EVER

Actor Adam Ali on bringing their \"queer Arab magic\" to film and TV, including Waterloo Road, coming out, and how they hope to inspire and influence positive change through representation

time-read
8 mins  |
March/April 2023
Aqua MAN
Attitude UK

Aqua MAN

As one of the few publicly gay professional swimmers, Team GB's Daniel Jervis discusses coming out, the highs and lows of 2022 and what's up next

time-read
9 mins  |
March/April 2023
Baptism OF FIRE
Attitude UK

Baptism OF FIRE

Here, globetrotting guru and founder of LGBTQ+ travel website Every Queer, Meg Ten Eyck writes about her recent trip to Burning Man

time-read
8 mins  |
March/April 2023