The Warsaw SAGA

‘The Warsaw SAGA’

Definitions of SAGA
* Abbreviation for “Sexuality And Gender Acceptance”
* Used to describe a narrative or story

I came across an article that highlighted Poland as the worst country for LGBTQ+ individuals within the EU. It stuck with me, and I couldn’t shake it off. While many European countries are progressing towards greater freedom and equality, Poland seems to be moving in the opposite direction.

Motivated by this, I decided to visit Warsaw and shine a light on the brave people who stay true to themselves despite the hatred around them. I named my project ‘THE WARSAW SAGA,’ a fitting title that stands for Sexuality And Gender Acceptance and embodies the stories I aim to tell.

Armed with my camera, I set out to create a photo series showcasing people who embrace their authenticity despite the hostility. Their portraits focus on self-expression, equality, and sexuality, emphasizing joy and liberation. The stories that accompany their portraits not only show the challenges they face, but also the resilience they draw from these challenges to effect change.

This project is dedicated to breaking down barriers and creating a future where everyone’s SAGA is valued, one story at a time.

– This exhibition originated from the Zine project.

Wiktor

“Despite all challenges, there are moments that warm my heart. Once, during a holiday, I heard something very nice from another uncle. He expressed his appreciation for me, acknowledging that it’s not easy to be different. He shared that when he was young, he was also very homophobic. He used to go to Plac Zbawiciela in Warsaw, which is a very gay-friendly area, to be aggressive and even violent towards LGBTQ+ people. However, he’s very regretful of his past actions, and he’s changed his mind. Now, he greatly admires me because I’m true to myself and unafraid. It was a really touching moment, knowing that people can truly change their minds.”

Pat

“I don’t feel like I belong to any specific community, especially within the LGBTQ+ sphere, which often feels narrow and artificial in Warsaw. I prefer living in a quiet village surrounded by forests, as I’m introverted and enjoy being alone. While I have LGBTQ+ friends, our connection isn’t primarily based on our identities; they’re just regular people I met, most of them artists. I feel like a free spirit, and as a spiritual person, with a body you don’t have to feel gender as something really connected with your identity. “

Madox

“When I was 20, I auditioned for Got Talent, and that’s when my career as a singer really started. I sang ‘Paparazzi’ by Lady Gaga and also the French song called ‘Bambino’ by Dalida. It was huge, like six or almost seven million people watched my episode and people went crazy. Not in a good way. Haters were writing things like “who is this fucking guy? Why does he look like a girl? And sing like a girl? He must be a faggot! He doesn’t have talent, it’s all about the looks and controversy”… When I was at the semi-finals, I’ve been really struggling with singing live because it hit me hard that I was going to be seen live by millions, and many of them just hate me. I saw thousands of comments about me which were really, really bad and malicious towards me. They were saying that I’m definitely a pedophile and that I should be killed, and that Hitler knew what he was doing with people like me. Terrible fucking things. It’s impossible to be ready for that kind of reaction.”

Stefa

“Even the Polish language is very difficult to work with in terms of gender non-conforming people because it requires its users to place themselves in a category every time they speak. For example, each verb is conjugated according to gender, and each object has a gender. Even when speaking about actions unrelated to gender, you are forced to indicate your gender. There is no middle form, as there is in English; it doesn’t exist in Polish.”