Wo(men)

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Wo(men)

The project title is a wordplay between women and 我们 (pronounced as wǒ men), a Chinese term that translates to "us". Playfully hinting that there is femininity in all of us regardless of one's gender.

This portraiture series began in light of International Women’s day, portraying the discovery and acceptance of one's gender identity. Residing in Malaysia, we grew up amongst multiracial families with rich culture and tradition. Naturally a breeding ground for unique identities and characters who stem from different races and ethnicities.

However, we are often obliged to fulfill certain gender expectations in the way we dress and express ourselves especially in an Asian household. A classic taboo in Malaysia would be seeing a man wearing a dress - an act that is often frowned upon by our elders.

In contrast, we hope to challenge this stereotypical norm and bridge the disparity between masculinity and femininity.

Our multifaceted avatar, whose anonymity allows him to try on different hats, embodies different phases of identity construction. Through the notion of a man “dressing up”, it becomes obvious that all of us possess a layer of androgyny and curiosity when it comes to discovering ourselves. No matter how complex or diverse one's gender may be, we should celebrate and embrace it in its entirety.