Carved by Hate

One thing that is prevalent within queer culture is a sense of othering and abuse. The queer community has always faced adversity and persecution both physically and verbally. It is the verbal abuse that I am highlighting within this work. By carving the words on my skin I am forcing the viewer to look at a brutal reality. Simple words that roll off the tongue so easy, have a profound effect on someone’s mental state. Barbaric words like ‘Faggot’ should be left in the past with the other archaic stereotypes that are often portrayed in an attempt to other the queer community. The selection of images you see before you is an unravelling of personal trauma in which I have had to learn to dissociate from. I have had to learn that these offensive words do not define me, they may have power but so do I. No word should hold the power to cripple someone emotionally, no word should leave someone with a feeling of worthlessness.