Fluid
2023Fluid is a self-documentary project, it’s final form being a diaristic photobook that shares elements of life that are influnced by my genderqueerness.
Foreword:
On the morning of May 6th 1933 the Institut für Sexualwissenschaft (Institute of Sex Research) was raided by a students union and nazi organisation, Deutsche Studentenschaft. They destroyed tens of thousands of items, including an extensive library of research on sexuality and gender identity, as well as other books that were blacklisted under the Nazi regime.
Later in the day, members of the SA joined students in the raid. There was a brass band playing for much of the attacks, and students sung the Nazi party anthem.
It is believed Dora Richter, the first known person to undergo MTF gender affirming surgery, was killed in this or a subsequent attack.
Four days after the raid, much of the looted material was burned in the street. It is estimated anywhere from 12,000 to 25,000 books and journals were destroyed, along with an even larger number of photographs, medical equipment, documents, works of art, and personal possessions of those who inhabited the institute.
Magnus Hirschfeld, who ran the institute, advocated for equality and understanding of people of all sexualities and genders. Notably for the time, he also recognised a third gender, what today would often be described as non-binary, and people with no fixed gender, which would often be regarded as gender-fluid.
And most importantly, Hirschfeld stated that these people were acting “in accordance with their nature,” not against it.
Later in the day, members of the SA joined students in the raid. There was a brass band playing for much of the attacks, and students sung the Nazi party anthem.
It is believed Dora Richter, the first known person to undergo MTF gender affirming surgery, was killed in this or a subsequent attack.
Four days after the raid, much of the looted material was burned in the street. It is estimated anywhere from 12,000 to 25,000 books and journals were destroyed, along with an even larger number of photographs, medical equipment, documents, works of art, and personal possessions of those who inhabited the institute.
Magnus Hirschfeld, who ran the institute, advocated for equality and understanding of people of all sexualities and genders. Notably for the time, he also recognised a third gender, what today would often be described as non-binary, and people with no fixed gender, which would often be regarded as gender-fluid.
And most importantly, Hirschfeld stated that these people were acting “in accordance with their nature,” not against it.
This book, Fluid, is a document of the fluidity of my own gender identity and expression. It documents parts of my queerness, parts of my life and my experiences.
When influential figures, or even just people shouting slurs in the street, spout their hatred it relies on dehumanising us, on treating queer people as an “other”, as something wholly different to themselves because if they were to recognise they are not just attacking queer rights, but human rights, they might realise why it is wrong, why it is unjustifiable.
There is still a significant lack of understanding around sexuality and gender identity. So much of this comes from misinformation, deliberately spread by politicians, celebrities and media, often as a tactic to garner votes, wealth or power.
While this book is a document, it is also an expression of who I am, and I hope I have expressed this in a way that is understandable both to people who may relate to parts of the book, and to those who have completely different life experiences.
Throughout the book I explore my relationship with gender dysphoria, euphoria, my relationship with my body, and with my environment.
It is my hope that this book could help educate people, to encourage people to be more accepting, and to show that queer people are ultimately people. Like Hirschfeld said, we are “acting in accordance with [our] nature,” not against it.
When influential figures, or even just people shouting slurs in the street, spout their hatred it relies on dehumanising us, on treating queer people as an “other”, as something wholly different to themselves because if they were to recognise they are not just attacking queer rights, but human rights, they might realise why it is wrong, why it is unjustifiable.
There is still a significant lack of understanding around sexuality and gender identity. So much of this comes from misinformation, deliberately spread by politicians, celebrities and media, often as a tactic to garner votes, wealth or power.
While this book is a document, it is also an expression of who I am, and I hope I have expressed this in a way that is understandable both to people who may relate to parts of the book, and to those who have completely different life experiences.
Throughout the book I explore my relationship with gender dysphoria, euphoria, my relationship with my body, and with my environment.
It is my hope that this book could help educate people, to encourage people to be more accepting, and to show that queer people are ultimately people. Like Hirschfeld said, we are “acting in accordance with [our] nature,” not against it.
