Public Education and Visibility of the LGBTIQ+ Community Through a Multimedia Format

Context

Despite gradual changes in public attitudes, LGBTIQ+ people in Ukraine continue to face discrimination, hate speech, and a lack of reliable information in the media. Issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity are often covered either fragmentarily or through the lens of scandal, without sufficient context or authentic human stories.

In this context, educational media projects become a key tool for challenging stereotypes, fostering empathy, and normalizing diversity as an integral part of Ukrainian society.

What has been done

Hromadske Radio launched the multimedia educational project “Someone Loves Someone” (Khtos Kogos Lyubyt) in 2024–2025, dedicated to LGBTIQ+ people in Ukraine. Journalist Ana More, the project’s author, created two seasons of video podcasts, audio podcasts, and written materials that:

• debunk common myths about the LGBTIQ+ community;
• discuss discrimination, social challenges, and security risks faced by LGBTIQ+ people;
• introduce audiences to the personal experiences of the project’s participants, giving them space for self-expression.

The project’s goal was not only public education but also contributing to real social change that improves the situation of LGBTIQ+ people in Ukraine.

“Hromadske Radio considers it our responsibility to give voice to those whose voices are often unheard, especially during wartime. We deliberately chose a multimedia and serial approach so that LGBTIQ+ people would be represented not occasionally, but as a full-fledged part of Ukrainian society. Visibility and knowledge are the first steps toward reducing discrimination,” says Viktoriia Yermolaieva, editor-in-chief of Hromadske Radio.

How it was implemented

• Season one: a series of videos and podcasts published on YouTube and Hromadske Radio platforms.
• Season two: continuation of the format with new episodes and an expanded thematic focus.
• Integrated approach: combining personal stories with factual explanations of myths, discriminatory practices, and legal issues.

The multimedia format made it possible to reach different audience segments — radio listeners, podcast audiences, YouTube viewers, and readers of written articles.

Impact

The first season became the most popular project on Hromadske Radio’s YouTube channel in 2024, while the second season became one of the channel’s most popular projects in 2025.

The project accumulated hundreds of thousands of YouTube views and millions of social media impressions. Audiences left hundreds of comments emphasizing the courage of the format, the importance of open conversation, and the accessibility of information about LGBTIQ+ people.

What other media can learn

• Combine personal stories with factual explanation in order to work simultaneously with emotion and knowledge.
• Provide platforms for socially marginalized groups and allow them to speak in the first person.
• Use multimedia formats — video, podcasts, and written articles — to broaden reach and maintain long-term audience engagement.