Wilkomen!

I have decided, out of inspiration from another blog, sheer boredom plus! the realization that valuable information and experiences are not being remembered on a certain topic, to create a written documentation on an ongoing photography series titled, Women et Homme. And what better place to do it than the oh so public venue....the internet?!
Strangely, for a photographer, I am intimidated by the publicity that this day in age encourages. That is, regarding the recurring theme of my projects. (However, it's this publicity that does a little ignorance fighting and a lil' bit of honesty exposing.) Sex and gender is something that everyone, regardless of their identity, deals with everyday. And it is sex and gender that never fails to create a daily ping of discomfort and confusion. For everyone. I don't care who you think you are. It happens, whether you know it or not. So take my word for it. Moving on...

Women et Homme

I stumbled across the Crossdressers International house while pursuing a location for a different series. Just a glance materialized into hours of schmoozing and laughing. I had come across the image of New York I had only heard stories of. Months later, I returned with my camera, not to make observations but to form visual and verbal relationships.
These women born men have no interest in operations and hormones though this doesn’t mute their enthusiasm in identity. From dinners within the confines of this small, Midtown garden apartment to events in restaurants and excursions to their favorite tavern, these seemingly unordinary people find their place as ordinary women. This project is not laced with boas and is not meant to exploit their identity like so many documentations of gender performance are. The seemingly average lifestyle of these women is what most interests me. What the general public fails to recognize is the difference between crossdressing and drag. Crossdressers perform gender as a way to live out the female side born into them and sometimes to fulfill sexual desires. Crossdressing is mostly kept behind closed doors whereas someone in drag performs gender for entertainment or political purposes.
These women’s stories are littered with wives and partners, children and professions. Some come from supportive backgrounds and some remain secretive. As we all bring personal experiences in relating to our peers, we can only bring truth to what we understand. As a photographer, honesty is my responsibility.

-Evan Schwartz