“No Femmes. No Fats”—When I first encountered this phrase on gay dating apps as a teen, it marked me and my body as welcome. As a queer individual in the gay dating scene with a non-normative body and invisible disability, this rejection ignited an internal conflict between my body and my queerness.
This series emerged from this struggle, initially manifesting as self-portraiture—which felt almost self-destructive due to years of body shaming. However, I discovered a way to understand my queerness photographically through absurdity, humor, and play. The work moved beyond self-portraiture, which felt too personal, and shifted to include other queer individuals with me occasionally stepping into the frame. I rarely arrive with a concrete idea of what the images will look like; instead, we collaborate in the moment to create them. Set within familiar spaces such as their homes, my photoshoots are spontaneous and playful, primarily utilizing elements from their environment.
Although I live in NYC, I aim to oppose metronormativity—the idea that free queer expression is confined to major cities. By focusing my work in small towns and rural areas, like my hometown of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the heart of Amish Country, I highlight the vibrant and overlooked queer communities thriving in these areas.
My photographs exist in a realm of ambiguity, between reality and fantasy. They are not rigid definitions but fluid reflections of the transitional space of queerness. Spontaneity, collaboration, intimacy, play, humor, and absurdity all permeate throughout my work, echoing the boundless dynamism of non-normative queer existence.