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True Self
Project type
Portraits / analogue photography
Date
1995
Location
Athens, Greece
Description
"I am what I am and I will walk with courage, boldness, audacity and with my head held high"
Jenny Hiloudaki
What choices do people have to be true to themselves if society doesn’t give them space to grow? This intimate series is about gender identity and the process of transformation. The portraits are of individuals who feel the discrepancy between the body they were born with and the internal self they identify as. In the images, I attempt to capture the vulnerability that can arise from that sense of unease.
In ‘90s Greece, the culture’s fundamental values were rooted in the belief that gender is fixed from birth, that individuals should express the female or male gender that aligns with their biological sex. Trans people were often targeted, suffering mental, physical and sexual abuse. Many concealed their true identity, existing on the margins. Some turned to sex work and petty crime to get by further eroding the sense of self.
Transitioning into your true identity physically and psychologically can be traumatic and it can be deeply fulfilling. These images capture the bravery as well as the vulnerability of those on that journey.
