TRANSLATION PROJECT
This past year I began my TRANSLATION project, to help educate and promote understanding of the transgender journey. I decided to photograph and interview transgender kids/young adults and their parents/allies to share their stories of this experience. I want to help trans kids and their families to be visible and heard.
I was lucky to meet a young trans man, Adrien, and his mother, Sheryl. They were great photo subjects, loving and connected, but also very articulate about their journey alone and together. Adrien and Sheryl are the first of many people I hope to photograph and interview.
ADRIEN: “My mom is my biggest advocate, she is actually the best. And I’m very lucky because I do know a lot of trans people who don’t have good relationships with their family. And it is one of the most soul-crushing things to me, because you’re supposed to love your child, period. Like that’s the end of the sentence. Right?”
ADRIEN: “No one transitions because they wake up one day and decide to do it. I had to change my entire wardrobe, name, style and tell all my friends and family and deal with people who did not understand. It’s not easy. It’s so hard. But I had to.”
ADRIEN: “So there is the love of my family (the kiss) and then the love of myself (testosterone vial). I do think transitioning is an act of self-love, and self-acceptance and self-protection.”
SHERYL: “It’s more important to love people for who they are, rather than for what they are: whatever gender they might be, whatever race they might be. Open your heart to love.”
ADRIEN: “When I started taking the testosterone I felt centered immediately. And then since my top surgery, things have gotten even better. I am now able to sit still with myself. Before hormones and my surgery, I couldn’t be alone with myself, because the person that I was, wasn’t the person that I am.”
Adrien brought Clover, the frog, to the hospital for comfort. Clover has a pink incision from his top surgery.
If you are interested in being a part of this project, or know someone who might want to be involved, please reach out.
203 216-5499