Artist Statement:
When Tania Hammidi asked me to participate in her book project by photographing the styles of gender masculine people, genderqueers, butches, daggers, FTMs, I embraced the opportunity to represent my tribe.
I chose to photograph my models out in the world, in environments that represent a totality of style and essence. I believe masculinity comes from within. Clothing represents our differences in taste, culture, and social settings. Clothes can tell us a great deal about a person. They are social indicators, and often represent our social subcultures. Your clothing may say I am a punk, hipster, jock, conservative, cowboy, etc., but it’s the whole nature, the holistic being of the “guy” that makes him masculine.
In these photographs, I hope to bring out the inner strength and masculine presence of the models. Masculine allure, balance, and wisdom that comes from a lifetime of standing proudly for personal individuality and gender identity against a social system of odds.