Reymond Lise

05 Dysphoria

An exploration of personal identity during the pandemic

“Showing gender dysphoria in a visual format is quite difficult. I mean, how do you convey the mental disconnect felt when your body doesn’t feel like your own? When the sight of yourself and the sound of your voice produces dread and makes you sick to your stomach? I wanted to try to show the dread and discomfort experienced by those who have body dysphoria. I purposefully bound my chest incorrectly with bandages to provide a recognizable image. I also pulled the bandages too tightly to accentuate the discomfort and make some of the breast tissue erupt out of the top. I also added a second image with a ghostly doubled figure to show the depersonalization sometimes felt by me on days when my dysphoria is particularly bad. Of course, my experiences with gender dysphoria are not universal, but I think sharing my perspective can be helpful to others. ”