Lesbian representation often gets erased — especially in post-socialist contexts. Gay male imagery was sometimes more visible, even if still marginalized. But lesbians? Even more hidden.
So when we find photographs of lesbian couples, friends, activists — they feel precious.
Many images are subtle. Two women sitting close. Hands almost touching. A look that lingers a bit too long. There’s often ambiguity.
And maybe that ambiguity was intentional.
In a hostile environment, subtlety can be protective. You don’t always need spectacle to be queer. Sometimes queerness lives in small gestures.
But invisibility also hurts. When there are fewer images, it becomes harder to build historical narratives. That’s why these photographs matter so much. They fill gaps.
They remind us that lesbian lives existed, loved, organized, created.
Even when the archive is small, it speaks loudly.
