16 Beautiful Portraits Of Humans Who Happen to Be Trans

[ismnotwasm]

Editor's note: This piece is part of PolicyMic's series in honor of Transgender Day of Remembrance 2013, addressing issues of trans visibility and the media.

I've been taking photographs for the greater part of my life. For the past seven years, I've used photography as a way to understand my own experience as a trans person and to look deeper into the lives of the people around me.

When asked to create a portfolio of transgender-specific portraits for the PolicyMic "Identities" section, I was excited for the opportunity to show my work to a new audience, but I was also nervous. It isn't my place to try and claim a trans identity for the people featured in my photographs. Some people have a gender identity that stays put. Some identities shift once and gradually settle in. Others have a fluid experience with their gender that perhaps falls somewhere on the trans spectrum. Personal identifications are complicated and can be easily misunderstood.

Instead of simply showcasing my own photographs, I reached out to 16 people I've photographed and asked them to tell me in their own words how they identify at this very moment. The diversity of the models' identities speak volumes. Being "trans" is just one small part of what makes each person unique and inspiring, as you'll see.

http://www.policymic.com/articles/72699/16-beautiful-portraits-of-humans-who-happen-to-be-trans

[murielm99]

1. Thank you.

I am probably one who does not fully understand trans identity. But I am willing to accept people for whatever they claim as their personal identification.

These are beautiful photos.

[ismnotwasm]

2. I thought so

I have a friend who would probably describe herself as a woman, a Vietnam vet with PTSD from horrific experiences from that war, a friend, a computer nerd--I can think of a host of things she would use. That she was born with male "plumbing" is the last thing she'd bring up, and even then only in intimate moments with trusted friends or lovers.

[seabeyond]

3. what i found interesting looking thru the pictures,

on the women, was the body movement and feel, the womanly stuff like clothes, hair and make up. i saw in them an enjoyment of the feel. for whatever reason in its subtle, just felt more profound than what i personally experience. makes me simply want to say.... go for it. these women certainly seem to enjoy the feel of all that much more than i, a female from birth.

i particularly like the concept of women men. i think to grow up in a world of definition of woman and then to step into the mens world. i think that would be way more fascinating. i listened to a very long clip of a woman that did this. its effects. what she say. very interesting

[MadrasT]

4. Oh god I love this so much.

I love that one person self-identified as "gender retired". I might adopt that.

I am so over "gender" as an identity. Is is completely unimportant to me as any significant part of how I self-identify.

(If "gender" is important to other people's self-identity that is cool with me, I just don't personally grok it at all.)

I just fucking LOVE these. Thank you so much!

[ismnotwasm]

5. You're welcome

I love that you said "grok" btw

And I love he "gender retired" one as well

[Tuesday Afternoon]

6. “I identify as a human.”

[ismnotwasm]

7. Yup