Тип практики: Content practices

Responsible Representation of LGBTQI+ People in Documentary Storytelling

Context

The workplace is a space where people spend a significant part of their lives, yet for many LGBTQI+ people it remains unsafe. Fear of stigma, prejudice, and losing one’s job forces people to hide their identity, which directly affects mental health, burnout, and professional fulfillment. Suspilne chose a documentary format to address this issue without sensationalism or dramatization — through real lived experience.

What was done

Suspilne produced the short documentary “Vacancy: Human”, which explores the experiences of LGBTQI+ people at work. The film is built around the stories of two protagonists, Katya and Demian, who openly speak about fear, silence, pressure, and their path toward acceptance in a professional environment.

The documentary is supplemented by expert commentary and statistical context. According to the NGO Tochka Opory UA, 37 out of 40 surveyed LGBTQI+ people conceal their identity at work due to fear of changes in attitudes from colleagues and management. The protagonists’ personal stories become an argument for openness as a factor that can reduce burnout and strengthen team resilience.

How it was implemented

  • The film was produced in partnership with the NGO Tochka Opory UA.
  • Safe participation conditions and a trauma-sensitive approach were ensured for the protagonists during filming.
  • The documentary uses the metaphor of a shared painting as a symbol of acceptance and coexistence within a team.
  • After its release, the film was presented at two job fairs as a starting point for discussions on inclusive recruitment and workplace culture.

“It was crucial for us not to ‘speak about’ people, but to give them the opportunity to speak in the first person — without translating their experience for someone else,” says Anastasiia Hudyma, Director of the Department for Diversity, Inclusion, and Equal Opportunities at Suspilne Broadcasting and a member of the editorial board.

Impact

  • After the release, the team received dozens of responses from LGBTQI+ people who said it was the first time they had seen a non-stereotypical and non-demeaning representation of their experience in Ukrainian media.
  • Some viewers admitted that after watching the film they felt encouraged to apply for jobs at Suspilne; several of them now work in different divisions of the media group. This demonstrated that responsible representation can influence not only audience trust but also a media organization’s ability to attract new professionals and foster a safer internal culture.
  • The film’s protagonist Katya began speaking openly about her identity after participating in the project and now conducts trainings on leadership and acceptance.
  • On social media, the film received hundreds of supportive comments with no documented negative reactions.
  • “Vacancy: Human” won second place at the 5th International Television Festival “Heart of Europe” in the category Short Documentary Film (Warsaw).

What other newsrooms can learn

  • Give voice to vulnerable groups without reducing their experiences solely to trauma.
  • Collaborate with relevant civil society organizations according to the principle “Nothing about us without us.”
  • Use documentary storytelling as a tool for changing attitudes and professional practices — not only to inform audiences but also to influence newsroom culture and the labor market.

Returning Women to Urban History Through a Special Project and Artistic Practices

Context

Urban history is usually recorded through male names, while women’s contributions often remain marginalized or disappear from collective memory altogether. In the case of Dnipro, this means losing a significant part of the city’s own history, from the era of Katerynoslav to the present day.

What was done

For International Women’s Day, the editorial team launched the special project “Women of the City on the River”, dedicated to outstanding women of Dnipro. The project:

  • combined long-form articles with active repackaging for social media;
  • featured original illustrations by Dnipro-based artist Stasia Velikodna, created in a comic-book style;
  • highlighted the issue of gender visibility, noting that throughout the city’s history only eight women have received the title of honorary citizen.

How it was implemented

  • Journalists worked together with historians to recover the names and biographies of prominent women from Dnipro.
  • The visual component became a separate storytelling tool: the illustrations “brought the heroines to life” and made the project visually distinctive.
  • The project combined historical context, contemporary art, and a social message, making it accessible to a broader audience.

Impact

For the first time, historical women figures of Dnipro were brought back into the public information space through a vivid visual language. Active distribution of the materials on social media increased their visibility and audience engagement. The project became an example of how local journalism can help restore historical justice and create a more inclusive image of the city.

What other media can learn

  • Highlight marginalized women’s histories within urban and cultural contexts.
  • Combine journalism with art and visual storytelling.
  • Use social media and interactive formats to engage new audiences and amplify the impact of journalistic projects.

Informing Veterans About Employment Suppor

Context

In small communities, the return of veterans to civilian life is an especially important issue. It is at the local level that people most often seek employment, retrain for new professions, or consider starting their own businesses. At the same time, access to clear information about state support services is often limited in small towns and rural communities.

In this context, local print media remain an important source of practical information, especially for older audiences and people who do not have regular access to digital resources.

What was done

Yampilski Visti published an informational and analytical article about employment service opportunities available to veterans.

The article:

  • addressed the employment of defenders as one of the key challenges of post-war community recovery;
  • outlined veterans’ main needs after returning from war, including rehabilitation, retraining, job search, and starting a business;
  • emphasized the importance of systematic rather than one-time support.

How it was implemented

The material was prepared as an accessible explanatory article adapted to a print format.

The journalistic approach included:

  • a focus on specific employment service opportunities such as vocational training, career change, employment support, and assistance for self-employment;
  • explanations written in simple, understandable language without complex bureaucratic terminology;
  • an orientation toward practical usefulness for community residents who could immediately apply the information.

Impact

The publication increased awareness among veterans in the Yampil community about available tools for returning to civilian life and economic activity. It also contributed to a broader understanding that veteran support is a long-term, systematic process in which local communities and public services play a key role.

Svitlana Nakonechna, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Yampilski Visti, explains that residents of small communities trust print media because the newspaper is not merely a source of news but a chronicle of community life. According to her, trust is not built through likes or reach; it “grows over time”: “If a newspaper has survived for a century, it means there is truth and responsibility in it.”

She also notes that the print format forces journalists to work more carefully and honestly because printed information cannot be quickly corrected or deleted. “When you publish complex or sensitive information, you leave a trace in the history of the community, not just a publication,” she says.

For Nakonechna, working at Yampilski Visti means speaking with people almost face-to-face through the pages of the newspaper rather than through comments on social media. She emphasizes that in a small border community, the printed word is perceived as verified and experienced together with readers, so journalistic responsibility means writing in a way that one can “look people in the eye without shame,” because the newsroom and the community are essentially one whole.

What other media can learn

  • Use print formats to distribute practical information, especially in communities with limited digital access.
  • Inform veterans about available services regularly, not only around commemorative dates.
  • Combine social issues with practical explanations that are useful for everyday community life.

Conversation about Gender Stereotypes with Men as the Target Audience

Context

In public discourse, gender issues are usually addressed to women, while the impact of gender stereotypes on men often remains underestimated or taboo. This makes it harder to discuss men’s mental health, emotions, bodily experiences, and vulnerability, and it narrows opportunities for rethinking models of masculinity.

What was done

The Gre4ka editorial team created a series of analytical articles on the impact of gender stereotypes on society, with a specific focus on male audiences.

The articles:

  • analyzed how stereotypes harm men’s psychological, physical, and social well-being;
  • addressed health, sexuality, emotional vulnerability, and social pressure;
  • presented positive examples of overcoming stereotypes rather than focusing only on problems.

How it was implemented

  • The articles were published on the website throughout 2023–2024.
  • They were later narrated and adapted into an audio format, which helped broaden the audience.
  • Based on the series, the newsroom launched a dedicated podcast titled “You’re a Man”, making the topic more accessible and less confrontational.

The editorial team explains that, while preparing the series, they deliberately chose an unconventional approach to topics and headlines. Although analyses of gender stereotypes often focus on women’s experiences, the newsroom intentionally shifted attention toward men, both in headlines and examples. According to the editors, many gender stereotypes are two-sided and affect different groups, and this perspective helped engage a broader audience in the discussion.

Readers’ feedback was especially valuable: both men and women reported using the articles as arguments in conversations about gender issues. Some publications also had a deeper personal impact. For example, after reading an article about stereotypes in marital relationships, some women recognized their own experiences and realized for the first time that what they had experienced was a form of violence and should not be considered normal.

“At Gre4ka, if we write about a problem, we try to use the principles of solutions journalism. But how do you do that when writing about gender stereotypes? The answer came partly from Tamara Martseniuk, who served as an expert for part of the series. The point is not only to describe the problem but also to show people who are already breaking these stereotypes. In my view, everyday examples of such change are more influential than pages of lofty analytical theory,” says Iryna Trebunskykh, a journalist at the outlet.

Impact

Two articles from the series became finalists in the Ukrainian journalism competition “Honor of the Profession” in 2024. The project contributed to expanding public discussion about the harmful effects of gender stereotypes on men and the need to rethink them.

The audio format also helped attract a new audience, including men who are less likely to engage with analytical texts on gender issues.

What other media can learn

  • Talk about gender equality by addressing men as a target audience, not only women.
  • Combine analytical content with audio formats to lower the barrier to engaging with complex topics.
  • Show not only problems but also examples of change that can be supportive and motivating.

Ethical Reporting on Postpartum Depression and “Window of Life” Cases

Context

Postpartum depression remains a highly stigmatized topic, while public stories about maternal crises are often presented through condemnation, sensationalism, or simplified moral judgments. Such approaches only increase women’s fear of seeking help.

What was done

The Gre4ka editorial team published a story about a woman from Kropyvnytskyi who, while experiencing postpartum depression, left her newborn at a “Window of Life” facility.

The article:

  • addressed the socially sensitive issue of women’s mental health;
  • focused on the woman’s emotional state, fears, and experiences;
  • deliberately avoided condemnation or formal moral judgments of her actions.

How it was implemented

The story was told through the woman’s personal experience, emphasizing postpartum depression as a medical and psychological condition.

The editorial team chose a non-judgmental, empathetic tone, highlighting that seeking help in a crisis situation is a necessary and responsible step.

“This was a challenge for the newsroom: how to write about the case so that the woman would not face public condemnation. We chose to tell the story through her feelings and experiences and to stress that asking for help is normal. Surprisingly, there was no negative reaction at all. Later, the woman contacted the newsroom again and told us that, by court decision, the child had been returned to the family and that she continues treatment for depression under professional supervision,” said Iryna Trebunskykh, a journalist at the outlet.

Impact

The publication did not provoke negative reactions from the audience, which is significant given the sensitivity of the topic. The article contributed to a more thoughtful and empathetic public understanding of postpartum depression.

Later, the protagonist informed the newsroom that her child had been returned to the family by court order and that she remained under professional treatment for depression, indirectly demonstrating the value of a supportive rather than stigmatizing media approach.

What other media can learn

  • Report on socially sensitive topics with a focus on human experience rather than judgment, placing emotions, motivations, and life context at the center of the story.
  • Use empathetic, non-stigmatizing language when covering mental health, motherhood, and crisis situations, avoiding sensational headlines and moralizing wording.
  • Treat sources as partners rather than “subjects of a story”: explain how the material will be used, agree on sensitive details, and respect the right to pause or remain silent.
  • Clearly distinguish facts from public opinion and avoid replacing journalism with moral judgments or pseudo-expert conclusions.
  • Include information about available support services (hotlines, counseling, support centers) so that the article has practical value for readers in similar situations.
  • Work systematically with mental health topics, not only during crises, helping normalize conversations about them.
  • Monitor audience reactions and be prepared to explain editorial decisions if the topic raises questions or debate.

Overcoming Gender Stereotypes in Fatherhood Through Local Journalism

Context

Gender stereotypes about fatherhood remain deeply rooted in Ukrainian society: childrearing is often perceived as a “woman’s responsibility,” while men’s caregiving role is undervalued or treated as exceptional. In the context of war, loss, and the disruption of family structures, these perceptions require particular reconsideration.

For frontline communities in the Kharkiv region, stories of families who survived occupation and continue living through wartime become an important source of social support and normalization of diverse family models.

What was done

The Hromada.Group editorial team published a social-profile feature about Oleh Mykhailiev, a history teacher from Artemivka in the Pechenihy community, who has been raising three children alone after the death of his wife.

The article:

  • presents the experience of a single father without appealing to pity or sensationalism;
  • shows a man’s daily responsibility and care as a normal part of fatherhood;
  • describes the family’s experience of surviving Russian occupation and adapting to life during the war.

How it was implemented

The article was produced in the format of a social portrait focused on the family’s everyday life.

The journalistic approach included:

  • a detailed description of the family’s story and the daily challenges of raising children;
  • a conscious avoidance of heroization, dramatization, or emotional pressure on readers;
  • a focus on the father’s role as caregiver, educator, and a stable figure in the children’s lives;
  • adherence to ethical standards regarding children’s privacy.

Olena Zelenina, Head of the Analytical Department of the Hromada.Group local media network in Kharkiv region, noted:

“The topic of ‘a dad on parental leave’ is almost absent from Ukrainian media. Perhaps because very few fathers use this opportunity. According to various estimates, only 2–3% of fathers take parental leave, which is significantly lower than in many European countries, although public opinion surveys show that a large share of Ukrainians consider it normal when a woman earns more than a man. In reality, however, stereotypes still limit this practice.”

She also emphasized that stereotypes in the portrayal of fatherhood are reinforced by exceptional cases. According to her, when media focus only on “ideal” fathers or, conversely, “terrible” fathers, they create an unrealistic background for most people. Therefore, avoiding moralizing judgments is one of the best safeguards against reproducing stereotypes in coverage of fatherhood.

Zelenina further stressed the importance of balancing public interest with children’s privacy. In sensitive cases, she recommends changing names and avoiding identifiable locations such as schools or neighborhoods. Journalists should explain not only where the material will be published, but also what reactions and comments may appear online, so that participants understand the implications of a permanent digital footprint. At the same time, she emphasized that journalists must never pressure people to relive painful experiences for emotional effect or a stronger headline.

Impact

The publication helps challenge the stereotype that parenting is exclusively a “female sphere” and increases the visibility of men as responsible and engaged fathers.

The article also:

  • supports public acceptance of diverse family models;
  • demonstrates how local journalism can address sensitive social issues without stigmatization;
  • fosters empathetic understanding of families living in frontline communities.

What other media can learn from this

  • Cover male caregiving without sensationalism or exoticization, avoiding framing it as an “exception” or a “heroic act.”
  • Avoid pity-oriented language and excessive heroization, focusing instead on responsibility and everyday care.
  • Portray fatherhood as an ongoing process, not merely a reaction to tragedy or loss.
  • Challenge gender stereotypes through normalization, allowing the story itself to convey the message.
  • Address social issues through concrete human stories, rather than abstract generalizations.
  • Take into account the local context of war and occupation, showing the resilience of communities and families.
  • Apply strong ethical standards regarding children’s privacy, never using children as emotional tools.

Visibility of Veterans’ Experiences and Reducing Stigma Through First-Person Storytelling

Context

Since the beginning of the full-scale war, the number of veterans in Ukraine has been rapidly increasing. At the same time, public discourse about veterans’ experiences is often limited to two extremes: heroization or stigmatization. Veterans’ stories are frequently reduced to narratives of trauma, loss, or “otherness,” which complicates reintegration into civilian life, contributes to social isolation, and reinforces discriminatory perceptions.

In this context, media play a crucial role in shaping a responsible, unbiased, and humane understanding of veterans—as diverse individuals with their own histories, experiences, and potential for active participation in society.

What Was Done

The media platform Nakypilo created the podcast series Shoulder to Shoulder, centered on conversations with soldiers and veterans of Ukraine’s liberation war.

The podcasts address:

  • returning from the front to civilian life, adaptation, and rehabilitation;
  • mental health, bodily changes, inclusion, and the prevention of social isolation;
  • veterans’ experiences in their own words, without imposed frameworks of heroization or pity.

One episode features Dmytro Kozatskyi (“Orest”), a veteran, public speaker, and project manager working on veterans’ engagement in the defense industry, highlighting veterans’ professional development and civic participation as well.

How It Was Implemented

The series is built around open, non-confrontational conversations in which participants speak in the first person, at their own pace and in their own language.

The editorial team deliberately chose:

  • an audio format that creates a sense of a safe space for discussing difficult topics;
  • a focus on personal experience without generalizations or stereotypes;
  • an approach that allows discussion not only of traumatic events but also of recovery, new social roles, and participation in community life.

Natalia Nekypila, commissioning editor at Radio Nakypilo, explains that the newsroom approaches mental health, bodily changes, and vulnerable veterans’ experiences in line with the outlet’s editorial policy. The key principles include prioritizing human dignity over sensationalism, using non-stigmatizing language, and respecting the personal boundaries of guests. Veterans are never treated as “cases” or generalized figures; their own voices and their right to control their stories remain central.

According to her, the newsroom consciously avoids dramatization, excessive heroization, and pathologization of experience, does not pressure guests emotionally, and considers the psychological safety of the audience, especially when covering PTSD, loss, and adaptation to civilian life. This helps minimize the risk of retraumatization and triggering for listeners.

She also emphasizes the importance of contextualization: veterans’ personal experiences are presented within a broader wartime and social context, including access to rehabilitation, the role of communities, and state responsibility.

“This approach resonated with audiences: listeners and veterans noted the calm tone and the feeling of a safe space where difficult topics could be discussed without retraumatization. Critical feedback also occurred, and we took it into account. The local context of Kharkiv is fundamental for us: the city lives in close proximity to active hostilities, and this shapes the tone of our conversations—careful, restrained, and oriented toward supporting the community. The radio does not merely talk about veterans; it talks with them as members of a community for whom the experience of war is an everyday reality.” — Natalia Nekypila

Impact

The podcast series contributes to changing perceptions of veterans—from seeing them solely as carriers of traumatic experience to recognizing them as diverse and full participants in social life.

The materials:

  • help dismantle stereotypes related to bodily changes, mental health, and expectations of the “perfect hero”;
  • strengthen public discussion about equality, dignity, respect, and trust;
  • provide an example of responsible journalism when working with vulnerable experiences in wartime and postwar contexts.

What Other Media Can Learn From This

  • Build conversations with veterans on the basis of equality rather than treating them as a “special category.”
  • Allow guests to speak in the first person and at their own pace, without emotional pressure or imposed narratives of heroism or suffering.
  • Avoid generalizations and stigmatizing language that automatically links veteran status with mental illness, danger, or social isolation.
  • Cover mental health responsibly, distinguishing personal experience from professional medical or psychological information.
  • Use formats that reduce confrontation, such as podcasts and long-form conversations that allow careful listening and nuanced discussion.
  • Show the diversity of veterans’ experiences, including women veterans, veterans with disabilities, and people of different ages and professions.
  • Shift the focus from war as an event to life after war, including work, civic engagement, professional development, and everyday challenges.
  • Coordinate sensitive topics with guests and respect their right to decline discussing certain experiences.
  • Avoid exploiting visual or audio effects that intensify drama at the expense of human dignity.
  • Reflect on the newsroom’s own role in shaping public perceptions of veterans and its responsibility to support inclusion rather than exclusion.

Women Soldiers’ Visibility in the Culture of Memory

Context

Despite women’s active participation in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other components of the security and defense sector, their military experiences remain insufficiently represented in the culture of memory. Traditional practices of war memorialization often reproduce masculine images of heroism shaped by the Soviet legacy, which leads to the symbolic exclusion of women soldiers from public commemorative space.

In the context of the full-scale war, the question of whom and how we remember becomes not only cultural but also political and value-based. The visibility of women defenders in memorial practices is an important condition for building an inclusive, fair, and contemporary culture of memory.

What Was Done

The media platform Nakypilo produced an episode of the podcast Memorialization of War dedicated to the presence of women soldiers in the culture of memory.

In conversation with Oksana Dovhopolova—co-founder and curator of the memory culture platform Past / Future / Art, Doctor of Philosophy, and professor at the Kyiv School of Economics—the episode:

  • analyzed why women’s military experiences remain insufficiently visible in public space;
  • examined the influence of Soviet militaristic traditions on contemporary commemorative practices;
  • raised the question of rethinking approaches to memorialization through a gender lens.

How It Was Implemented

The podcast was designed as an expert analytical conversation focused on cultural and philosophical analysis.

The episode discussed:

  • contemporary tools of war memorialization, including artistic projects, memory festivals, public campaigns, and local memorials;
  • the ways cultural practices can both reproduce inequality and become instruments of change;
  • the topic in cooperation with Divoche.Media, which expanded the audience and engaged listeners interested in gender issues and cultural processes.

The podcast format made it possible to explore the issue not through isolated cases but as a long-term social process requiring reflection and systemic solutions.

Impact

The episode contributed to a new understanding of commemorating women soldiers as full participants in the war rather than exceptions within a “male” narrative.

The material:

  • strengthened public discussion about the need for change in the culture of memory;
  • drew attention to symbolic inequality in memorial practices;
  • generated active audience engagement on social media through comments, shares, and discussions.

What Other Media Can Learn From This

  • Integrate a gender perspective into coverage of war, memory, and commemoration, rather than limiting attention to news reports about women’s participation in combat.
  • Ask questions about visibility and exclusion, analyzing whose experiences are represented in memorial practices and whose are systematically ignored.
  • Work with experts from humanities, cultural studies, and philosophy to provide deeper analysis of complex issues that extend beyond daily news logic.
  • Use podcasts and long-form formats to discuss long-term social processes where context and reflection are more important than speed.
  • Critically rethink the Soviet legacy in language, symbols, and memorial forms, proposing alternative and inclusive approaches.
  • Collaborate with other media outlets and cultural platforms to broaden audiences and bring multiple perspectives into conversations about memory and war.

Increasing Inclusion and the Visibility of People with Disabilities Through Rehabilitation and Community Participation

Context

In the context of the full-scale war, the number of people with disabilities in Ukraine is increasing, including as a result of injuries, trauma, and deterioration of health. At the same time, media coverage of this topic is often limited to emotional stories or focuses on disability as a “problem” rather than on rights, opportunities, and systemic solutions.

For regional media, it is especially important to discuss inclusion in practical terms—to show what services exist at the local level, how rehabilitation works, and what opportunities people with disabilities have for full participation in community life.

What Was Done

The information and television agency VITA produced an episode of the talk show On Time dedicated to the inclusion of people with disabilities in Vinnytsia.

The program:

  • discussed key aspects of social integration, including rehabilitation, vocational education, employment, and family support;
  • emphasized that people with disabilities have the right not only to basic assistance but also to a full life and participation in social processes;
  • presented the issue through a discussion of opportunities, services, and community responsibility rather than through pity or dramatization.

How It Was Implemented

The talk show was organized as a studio-based expert discussion hosted by Oleksii Litvinov. Professional speakers were invited, including Roman Shtohryn, Director of the Podillia Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center, which made it possible to:

  • discuss rehabilitation on the basis of practical experience;
  • present concrete examples of available services and support programs;
  • explain the importance of a comprehensive approach that combines psychological, professional, and social assistance.

The talk-show format allowed the editorial team to combine informational and educational goals, making a complex topic understandable for a broad regional audience.

Impact

The program contributed to strengthening public discussion about the accessibility of urban services and the need for systematic support for people with disabilities at the community level.

The episode:

  • demonstrated positive examples of cooperation between civic organizations and public institutions;
  • shifted the focus from limitations to opportunities and rights;
  • increased audience awareness of rehabilitation and social services available in the region.

What Other Media Can Learn From This

  • Discuss disability within a human-rights framework, emphasizing rights, dignity, and opportunities rather than pity or charity.
  • Engage qualified experts and practitioners working in rehabilitation, education, or employment so that discussions are grounded in real solutions.
  • Show local services and support tools relevant to a specific community instead of relying on abstract discussions about “the disability problem.”
  • Use studio discussion formats for calm and constructive conversations about complex social issues, allowing space for explanation and clarification.
  • Avoid language that reinforces stigma, including wording that defines a person solely through disability rather than through their roles, experience, and participation in society.
  • Highlight the comprehensive nature of support, showing that rehabilitation is not only a medical process but also psychological, social, and professional integration.
  • Present inclusion as a shared responsibility of the community, not solely as an issue for individual people or families.

Photo Essay as a Tool for Rethinking Women’s Visibility in Cultural Memory

Context

Cultural and historical memory often reproduces inequalities embedded in society: women’s achievements remain less visible or secondary even within memorial spaces. In narratives about culture, art, sports, and public life, women are frequently portrayed as an “addition” to famous men—wives, muses, or companions—regardless of their own contributions.

Media rarely address this issue outside academic or activist contexts, especially at the local level. Yet local outlets have the potential to discuss cultural memory in accessible language and engage broad audiences in rethinking established assumptions.

What Was Done

The editorial team of Visti Zmiivshchyny created a photo essay reflecting on gender equality, using the space of Lychakiv Cemetery as a symbolic location.

The material:

  • focused attention on women who made significant contributions to culture, art, and public life but remain barely visible in historical narratives;
  • showed how women’s names often remain “behind the backs” of famous men even after death;
  • raised the question of how cultural traditions and social context shape unequal visibility in collective memory.

Rather than offering ready-made conclusions, the piece invited readers to reflect and draw their own interpretations.

How It Was Implemented

The editorial team chose the photo essay as the main format, combining:

  • visual images of the memorial space;
  • analytical and essayistic reflections on gender inequality.

The alleys of Lychakiv Cemetery were used not merely as a backdrop but as a meaningful element that reinforced the theme of women’s invisibility in cultural memory.

The combination of photography and text made it possible to discuss a complex humanities topic without academic language, appealing instead to readers’ emotional and visual perception.

Impact

The photo essay sparked discussion among readers and encouraged part of the audience to look at gender equality in a cultural context from a new perspective.

The publication also:

  • brought attention to the invisibility of women’s stories in collective memory;
  • demonstrated that even a local media outlet can initiate a complex social conversation;
  • expanded understanding of how gender inequality is reproduced not only in the present but also in the ways society remembers the past.

What Other Media Can Learn From This

  • Use cultural and memorial spaces as an opportunity to discuss contemporary values and inequality, not merely as objects of description.
  • Combine visual formats with analytical text to make complex gender issues accessible to wider audiences.
  • Search for “invisible” women’s stories within cultural, historical, and local contexts, going beyond canonical narratives.
  • Encourage reflection rather than impose conclusions, creating space for dialogue with audiences.
  • Show that gender equality is not only about the present, but also about how we remember, name, and interpret the past.