Road to Trans
Introdution
“Nuestra existencia es resistencia.” Our existence is resistance.
The city of Cali, Colombia is filled with all kinds of murals. Among them, the one at the end of this street caught my attention the most.
I had the opportunity to visit this city for a work trip, and I looked into the local LGBTQ+ culture before setting out. I learned that in Colombia, adults can legally change the gender marker on their national IDs, which includes a non-binary option. Yet violent murders still occurred as recently as last year.
Hostility still exists today. Beyond the protection of the law, society itself still needs to change through long-term resistance, education, protests, and advocacy.
The murals on the streets of Cali, as well as this competition, both seek to promote transgender rights. “Trans” signifies a crossing, a transformation, a transgression against boundaries, and a resistance towards the hostility of the world. I hope that one day we can truly move toward a world that embraces diversity.
Comment From the Judge :
Victoria Hsu
Through its depiction of the street mural in Cali, Colombia, this photograph highlights the ever-present and international nature of transgender lives.
Murals in public spaces are part of the urban landscape. They break down the walls of exhibition spaces and bring social issues into everyday life.
The artist, in turning their attention to Latin American society, highlights the universality of LGBTQ+ issues, and captures the history of local struggles in the region. The wall at the end of the street becomes a stage for us to declare the existence of transgender people.
This is not simply a shot of street photography, but also a deep dialogue with social reality. Even when transgender identities are recognized by law, malevolence and violence in society still exist.
The phrase “Nuestra existencia es resistencia” mentioned in the artist’s statement is a powerful note. Without a doubt, the artist’s act of seeing and photographing allows this “existence and resistance” to persist beyond the frame.