I'm a Real Girl

Inspired by the classic fairytale of Pinocchio, this series explores the idea of self creation and what it is that makes one's identity authentic. In the story of Pinocchio, its the puppet's love for and from Geppetto that makes him a real boy. By queering this narrative I'm exploring how self love and love and acceptance from one's community is what makes one's gender identity authentic. Gender is a social construct that has, as its armature, the faith we place in it. If we are willing to extend the acceptance to ourselves and our loved ones that we have always extended to those that fit the traditional notions of gender identity then we make their gender identity as authentic as anyone else's.