My time studying my body as I recreated it caused me to ponder the politicization of the human form. In recent years especially, our bodies have lost their neutrality and become objects of political exploits. Our ability to control them has been attacked as reproductive rights, gender-affirming care, and access to healthcare have eroded. I have felt the chains of body policy hanging heavy on me as a queer person with reproductive capability, and this piece is an expression of my frustration.
Our voices have been silenced as we speak our truths, and with this work I have compounded my pain into defiance. Despite it all, I am still soft and loving and kind, like the pastels used in its creation. Softness is its own revolution in a world designed to harden the soul, and so we revolt. I love, I teach, I grow, I learn, and my body carries me. Despite it all, I live. My mouth is covered and my voice is silent, but my body is intact, proud, and seven feet tall.
