As we are

I grew up in Russia where being GBTQ is illegal. This community is denied basic human rights, and it is dangerous for them to be openly who they are, let alone to be photographed.  And while there has been social progress made in the USA, there is still much room for improvement. And the stories of those I have photographed bear witness to this fact. One of my project participants, Alex, is a beautiful non-binary person, who grew up in a family of Jehovah’s Witnesses. When they came out as a non-binary person two years ago, the whole family stopped speaking to Alex and they look away at times when they accidentally run into each other. Another non-binary person that I had the pleasure of getting to know through my work is struggling with dysphoria. But when they decided to go for a top surgery, health insurance refused to preapprove even a portion of the cost. And then there are some of the female transgender people I photographed, who are survivors of (repeated) hate crime violence. They bear scars from gun shots or knives on their bodies. These are just a few examples of what these people face every day for simply being themselves in today’s America. Photographing non binary people, giving them voice and visibility, I am trying to push back on gender norms that were put on me. I also hope to break the stereotypes and stigmas that have surrounded the community for far too long.