Statement : I have always been interested in the gender roles men and women play within society. Since I was a child, I have rebelled against these rules and these societal definitions. We all share a desire to be understood, to be accepted and approved of. In our radically changing and highly judgmental society, people are often scared of being isolated or left behind. So they conform to fit in. But in adhering to an outside perception of oneself, we are unconsciously denying our true selves. I have become obsessed with discovering the true people behind the masks. What lies hidden beneath the skin is often much more beautiful than which is projected outward. Since I was young I have seen a simple transparency in the complex relationships people have with each other. I am obsessed with hidden secrets. I break down the layers through my lens and the mask falls away, revealing an intimate vulnerability that makes time stop. This collection of images captures the essence of who my subjects are. By celebrating all definitions of gender and sexuality, the previously defined terms fall away. They lose their meaning; And there is nothing left but the raw expression of the subject in the image. This is the society we live in today.