Society In The Shadows

“Society in the Shadows” expresses the art of feeling different within prescribed societal norms. This work shares the world of Cheyanne, a teenager who identifies as Charlie, uses preferential pronouns she/he, and explores feminism in her own way. These photos are portrayed to express their self-awareness and pushback from society's stereotypes. Charlie’s expressions chronicle the deep, often misunderstood, feelings of a person in the prime of adolescence who wants to be their own authentic self. They don't want society to control their choices or dictate how to conform.

Living between two worlds, Charlie feels she has to hide behind a curtain to hide who they are. When the curtain is pulled, they are, in turn, emotionally pulled in two directions: their own and society.. She never feels whole in the eyes of society. While they want to express more masculine clothing, others around Charlie push her to feel unaccepted. They are just one of the many bodies hiding behind the shadows of society, living in a world where others expect Charlie to change their values and deeply-held beliefs just so they can fit in, forcing them to disguise their true identity or face rejection. My role, not only as her cousin who supports and accepts her but as the creator, is to express the emotions behind being a teenager in a world where others are shunned for expressing their true identity and to show that you are not alone in the shadows of society.