Gender Blues

There was this moment in my life where everything became a whole lot clearer; the moment it was explained to me that gender identity is not an either-or, rather it’s a two axis grid. And your position on that grid is not necessarily fixed but can, and often does, shift.

Because, like all forms of identity, gender identity is in the eye of the beholder. We are all unique individuals and whilst we might have many things in common, how we identify ourselves and how we see ourselves within our identities is an entirely personal position. Of course, how society sees these things is an entirely different proposition..

Once I began to see my own gender identity as a fluid spectrum I literally stopped worrying about it.  It was as if I had been wearing glasses of the wrong prescription and rather than continue to try and squint to see, I just took them off.

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As part of the Tapysteria Hacks series, I chose to embroider this quote by one of my most significant role models in terms of understanding gender identity, Patti Smith. One day, doilies shall experience that same clarity.

This work was part of the ‘It’s Never Late to Mend’ exhibition. This work has been sold.