Rowan

IN A NEAT LITTLE BOX aims to highlight the importance of documenting personal experiences within transgender communities through examining the potential of photographic self-documentation to validate and bring attention to the diverse experiences with gender presentation and identities. The body of the work comes in the form of a written memoir – a collection of personal moments that form the early stages of my personal journey with gender – paired with archival images and self-portraiture. Words provide individuals with a language to explain their experiences, but their use also aids the development of a cultural language with greater nuance and gender plurality. Defining transgender identities is not about absolutes; it’s about expanding our definitions to create space for others within the spectrum, both inside and outside the current gender binary. Pushing for inclusion makes it harder to delegitimise the diversity of lived experiences in the public eye. Stories open others up to new perspectives, and words provide individuals with a language to explain their own experiences. Photography provides context to the text while contributing to the palette of transgender visual self-representation, enabling individuals to reaffirm their sense of self. Through divulging personal experiences I hope to encourage introspection and act as a small part in enabling a society that allows us all living lives as our authentic selves.