Following last years commission to make our zine, Shout Festival partnered with me for my Arts Council Project Grant application this year resulting in me running a workshop for people based in Birmingham and the West Midlands to come and make a collaborative portrait and as Sabah Choudrey who assisted me and is part of the project said, “ pose, perform, transform and talk about what it means to be people like us - assigned female at birth trans men/masc/non-binary/gender fluid beings.”
Krishna 2019 (promotional image for the workshop)
Despite meticulous planning, it was hard to know how the workshop would go and who would show up. Would the group gel and be confident enough to be photographed in front of each other, I started to wonder as I travelled in on the train the day before feeling somewhat anxious about what I had set up. It dawned on me that I wasn’t feeling as prepared as I thought I was and that maybe I was asking a lot for individuals to come and share intimately with a group of strangers, would they even turn up?!
Rai at the workshop with their non-binary die
However the workshop went brilliantly and did all the things I wanted it to and more, it really was very special and I’m proud to say we created this safe and comfortable space for such intimacy. Participants were so warm and generous with what they chose to share and there were many overlaps regarding experience intertwined with very individual stories and anecdotes. The participants’ feedback says it best so over to them:
“I feel like I’ve come home!”
"I've only met other trans and non-binary people in ones and twos, or at a big national event, so meeting a group at a city close by was great: it felt like home and was really very moving. It was a nurturing environment; both the group and the camera encouraged me to be me and to be comfortable with that." Alix
“The workshop was a small group, which was the perfect size, and it was great to hear the experiences of the other participants. We started off with introductions and then talked about the project and any ideas we'd brought with us that might be worth exploring. I was a little shy at first - I always am - but settled down quickly as Holly and Sabah were wonderful at creating a relaxed atmosphere. Having my photo taken as the only person in the camera's eye was a bit nerve-wracking at first but it was something I wanted to do and Holly was great at putting me at ease. I'm very self-conscious about a lot of different parts of myself and my body so Holly being so kind and genuine really helped. I found the whole thing really affirming and positive. I felt pleased that I'd managed to do it and it gave me a sense of reassurance that I can be who I really am and be accepted for it.” Rai
“Participating in the People Like Us workshop was an invaluable experience for me. You don’t always realise your need for a space and how intrinsically people can understand you until you are thrust in to a scenario with people who at first seem very different, but all share a deep understanding of your struggle, but also your joy. Although I felt my medical transition finished 4 years ago, I was never truly able to share it publicly with many people. This space gave me the security and the compassion to own my body, to be comfortable in it, and to show off and embrace all that makes me different, but what ultimately brings us all together. It was a safe space, where we were able to discuss, to play, and to respect each other. Holly was incredible at making you feel relaxed and unafraid of the camera, and also to experiment and try something new.” Jade
Documentation by Sabah Choudrey
"I signed up to do the workshop because it’s taken me a long time to feel okay about my body and I wanted to try and explore that and push my boundaries. There are still parts of my body that I’m not comfortable with and wish were different, but I’ve also reached a point where I feel kindness towards my body and want to try and accept it more. Exploring this with photography seemed a great idea! I also think it’s really important to document AFAB GNC/n/b/trans people more because having more visible role models would have helped me enormously when I was younger. The workshop was really good. It was quite overwhelming at times because it brought up a lot of issues, but it was such a positive experience and really meant a lot to share it with such a wonderful group of people." Jess
“I have very fond memories of the 'People Like Us' workshop and the kindness shown by the facilitators and attendees. It helped me to touch upon parts of my identity that I struggle to access but notice, more and more, that they are struggling to emerge and find a voice. The time flew by and I was touched by the honesty of the group members and their open sense of acceptance and gentle encouragement. I left feeling exhausted but grateful that I had experienced such a wonderful feeling of safety in central Birmingham.” Heather
“The workshop atmosphere was a great mix of open, fun, exciting, and relaxed. I really really enjoyed the chance to have conversations with people who are close to me on the gender spectrum and to explore how I want to present myself to the world. It felt like the beginning of something necessary.” Jan
“In recent times, when I first owned my non-binary identity, the first euphoric thrill I got was from a pair of men's jungle print pyjamas... Maybe I'll bring those :-)” Alix in an email before the workshop.
“This is my favourite because it seems to capture a sense of in-betweenness and movement that captures my feelings about identity.” Heather
“I came to the photoshoot really wanting to bring a piece of my nan with me. She was extravagant and feminine, wearing lots of gold and bright red lipstick, and I felt that channeling that both softened my masculinity, and also reinforced it. She battled with breast cancer several times, and although our experiences are very different, we had similar procedures, both in order to save our lives. She was a catalyst for a lot of passions I have in life. He bravery constantly inspires me.” Jade
Here are some of the reasons participants gave for signing up to the workshop which I found very affirming:
“It was an event that targeted a section of the community that I am a part of that doesn’t always get highlighted, and is often misrepresented in mainstream media, so I was eager to participate and help change to perception of who we are as people, and to spread awareness, and generally have a bit of fun and try something new.” Jade
“I thought it would be a good way to explore my self-image and try to reconnect my mind's eye image of myself with my physical self. I hoped it would be an affirming experience that would give me a bit of confidence in myself and my identity. I also hoped to meet others who may have similar experiences to mine, or who could at least empathise.” Rai
“I came because it was a rare opportunity to meet others with a common approach to gender, and at the same time express some pride in who I am." Alix
So much happened in such a short time, I am in awe of all the participants and what they bought to the workshop and I’m so proud of what me, Sabah and my camera facilitated here - photography is so much more than making pictures to me and has always been about what the presence of a camera can make happen, from the days of my DARKROOM installations to important community building projects like this. It was a lot to hold but so worth it and I learnt loads, this experience has definitely inspired me to do more workshops across the UK hopefully to offer space like this to others who might have less access to community.
Sabah Choudrey 2021
And last but by no means least, I must say a huge thanks to Sabah Choudrey my “glamouress assistant” and forever muse, who I could not have done this workshop without, I appreciate all the knowledge and experience they bought to the workshop and how they helped to keep me balanced!