The First Lesbian Conference
4
days of intensive work and togetherness
176
participants from Ukraine, Europe, Kazakhstan, Georgia, and Moldova
42
speakers — activists, researchers, human rights defenders, and artists
30+
discussions, workshops, lectures, and master classes
A new history together
On October 15–18, 2025, we began a new history together — the First Ukrainian Lesbian Conference took place! 🩷
Lesbians from every corner of Ukraine, from countries across Europe, from Kazakhstan, Georgia, and Moldova came together to speak openly about what people too often try to keep quiet: about advocacy and visibility, about safety and support, about the body and sensitivity, about serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, about our families and children, and about the fight for the right to be recognized by the state. All of this is about our history and our future.
“Our strength is in unity” is not just a slogan. These are the values and the sense of community that we felt in every hall, in every glance, in the unique stories of life, struggle, and endurance.
Behind these days lies the work of the Insight team, of the moderators and the volunteers. But most of all — it is the energy of every one of you. The energy of those who shared, listened, supported, and inspired.
We are creating the new society of a free Ukraine, we are uniting in the fight for every person, we are resisting a war of aggression. We are creating a movement. We are already the visibility that the generations before us fought and dreamed of.
A day-by-day chronicle of events
Day 1
The start of deep and important conversations.
- The influence of conservative movements, lesbian activism, and rights.
- Visibility in the media, families, and our children.
- Breaking the taboos around the experiences of lesbians in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
- Lesbian and bisexual identity.
Day 2
The day began with words of support from Malin Björk, a former member of the European Parliament: the visibility and solidarity of lesbians is the key to real equality.
- The experience of fighting for rights in a time of war.
- Career and equality.
- Trans women in the lesbian community.
- Marriage for lesbians: legislative changes.
- The right-wing turn and the threats to LGBTQI+ people.
- Visibility online: lesbian bloggers.
- Recording the history of the lesbian movement.
Day 3
A moment of deep inner and cultural connection.
- The EL*C workshop “The Future Belongs to Us: Lesbians at the End of the World”.
- Literature about and for lesbians, the role of lesbians in the feminist movement, culture and art.
- The experience of those who left and came back during the war; lesbian sex and the body.
- And to close — bachata and lesbian yoga: we exist, we feel, we make an impact.
To be continued!
Thank you all for being with us. We are always open to cooperation with speakers, researchers, volunteers, media, and partner organizations.