How war can catalyse positive change for LGBT rights: the discursive construction of LGBT equality as a national identity issue in Ukraine (2022-2024)
Journal: DSpace repository (University of Tartu)
Year: 2025

War is usually seen as a setback for human rights, reinforcing traditional gender roles and excluding minorities. However, in Ukraine, Russia’s full-scale invasion has produced an unexpected effect: Ukrainians demonstrate higher levels of acceptance of LGBTIQ+ people, challenging conventional assumptions about nationalism and war. This thesis examines how wartime nationalism, rather than marginalising, has opened discursive space for LGBTIQ+ inclusion. Drawing on critical discourse analysis of 2