T1TS OUT 2023

12 x 12 inches

One Layer Screenprint on French Paper

2023

ED. 50

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This art piece was inspired by a trip to San Francisco’s Folsom Street Fair in 2022. I loved how many folks were wearing harnesses and leather outfits that are popular in kink and BDSM culture. I felt so lucky to live in an open place like the Bay Area. That day, I got myself a cute harness and wore it with my breasts out, and that moment inspired this work.

Over the last decade, I’ve learned to really be in my body. I enjoy being in spaces clothes-free, the same way that I came to earthside. Throughout my childhood, I received negative messages about my body and was forced to cover myself in ways that did not feel authentic to me as a girl and young woman. I learned to only see my body through a predatory lens. 

Growing up in the queer Bay Area, a place where sexual expression was encouraged, I would dress in ways that made me feel confident, sexy, and empowered. I was punished and shamed for that in painful ways, but this only strengthened my drive to be authentic. Being nude or topless became a way for me to fully express myself. Today, I feel thankful to have the freedom to be expansive in my gender identity and wear things that make me feel playful, joyful, and sensual.

It’s important to question the dominant narratives in our society. Why is it that cis male bodies get to walk around showing their chest, while so many of us are told we have to cover our breasts—these fascinating body parts that help nourish babies, literally ensuring the survival of our species. Why do we have laws that legislate how a mother can breastfeed their kids in public? These patriarchal policies are rooted in colonial thinking and serve to limit the expression and enjoyment of our bodies.