Pioneering queer pop culture in Eastern Europe: Challenges and triumphs

LGBT individuals are increasingly represented in pop culture; fortunately, this representation is expanding and broadening more often. How do Eastern European countries portray queer society?

LGBT people were invisible for a long time, and when they finally got their place in pop culture, they were still not welcome by everyone. Accusations of "woke ideology," political correctness, or "promoting the LGBT lobby" are, however, absurd. The fact that rainbow representation appears in films, books, or games is entirely natural because (shock) such people exist and want to be seen, just like everyone else.

Ultimately, we have our genre: queer literature or queer films, but we also appear fleetingly in cultural texts that are not classified in this way. And that's perhaps the most significant pain: when queer people dare to step out of their corner. One thread from a series cannot be removed on demand.

It is worth emphasizing, though, that queer pop culture is not only for the LGBT community. "Call Me By Your Name" didn't reach such popularity solely among queer people. Lady Gaga can also be listened to by straight people, okay. This representation is indeed strong in the world - so what does it look like in Eastern European countries?

We haven't yet had our own "Portrait of a Lady on Fire," but young LGBT people from Poland have someone to relate to. It's also worth mentioning that the manner of portraying queer individuals has changed (and continues to change). We've been through Przemko - the over-the-top fashion designer in loud clothes from the series "BrzydUla," which is highly stereotypical and perfectly captures the vibe of how people thought homosexuals looked and behaved in 2008. There was also Dominik from "Suicide Room" - a lost teenager who tries to understand who he is and faces total rejection. One can't forget the relatively new film "Hyacinth," depicting a police operation carried out in the PRL (People's Republic of Poland) in the years 1985–1987, which involved collecting "files" on homosexual men. The main character, Robert, is an internally conflicted police officer. However, he doesn't have much time for dilemmas. "Hyacinth" maintains a pace and is more of a thriller than an LGBT-coded film.

Poland can boast its own "Heartstopper" at home, "Fanfik." The book by Natalia Osińska is about growing up, discovering oneself, and experiencing first love. The main character is Tosiek - a transgender boy whom the reader meets in the heat of adolescence. On Netflix, you can watch a film based on the novel of the same title.

Lithuania, cinema, and LGBT are enough clues to say without hesitation: Romas Zabarauskas. The man is a director and an openly gay individual. He is currently working on a trilogy of films about homosexual relationships. So far, only the first part has been released. "The Lawyer" explores the relationship of a Lithuanian lawyer who bonds with a Syrian refugee, Ali, who works on webcams. The second part of the series is titled "The Writer" and is currently in production.

Zabarauskas's contemporary approach is attractive because Lithuania, like Poland, has not formally legalized same-sex unions. The director thus conducts a thorough vivisection of individuals and society.

Tudor Giurgiu, in the film "Love Sick," intriguingly develops the story of Kiki and Alex, two students who just started university. The girls are friends, and their relationship slowly blooms, full of verbal adoration and tender touch. However, what stands in their way is the feeling Kiki has for her brother Sandu. How many people can relate to this? Probably not many, but slowly falling in love with a friend is perhaps one of the most beautiful and underrated motifs.

"Liuben." The film by Venci Kostov was released in 2023 and is the first (!) Bulgarian film to depict a homosexual relationship openly. Its action occurs in a Bulgarian village in the mountains and is not a simple summer romance. The characters' conflicts may bring to mind "Brokeback Mountain": alienation, loneliness, and communication problems. The film is available on Amazon Prime.