Shadow Banned - exhibition and celebration of censored photography by Shadows Gather

Part of this photography story is my character, I'm Shadow and would consider what I do drag and a performance piece. That's how I get my photos and really connect with the club world. I have my BIG hair, my tall platforms, toy camera and cocktail in hand. I am one of them... we are the club kids. My party favor to the club world is my photography, this show I'm presenting to you is called Shadow Banned. Shadow Banned showcases photos not seen anywhere else, photos that have been banned, flagged, and removed from social media. This forbidden collection raises questions about censorship faced heavily by marginalized groups: the policing of female bodies, the algorithmic flagging of everyday imagery in the LGBTQIA sphere, and the disproportionate censorship of people of color. For many Americans, social media is an over filtered, glamorous representation of themselves and the lives they wish they lived. Shadow Banned is a raw, unapologetic peek into lives lived after dark. On display along with a collection of over a thousand original Instax images, Shadow will also display her most iconic banned images, blown up and enlarged in a way that captures the details. From the scratches, lipstick smudges, and dirt from the alley, these photos capture a historic moment in time. Thank you for considering my project for this amazing opportunity that could truly help show the world the humanity in the queer nightlife community. The place where we can be ourselves without judgement.