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A camper walks down the runway with the enthusiastic support from the camp community. Photo by Lindsay Morris.[/caption]
By Annette Hinkle
When Bruce Jenner appeared on 20/20 last month and talked openly with Diane Sawyer about his transition from male to female, he immediately transformed an issue that had largely been considered a joke into a serious discussion.
For many, gender fluidity and transgenderism is seen as the last frontier in the pursuit of equal rights in this country — and for Sag Harbor photographer Lindsay Morris, it’s an issue whose time has come.
Over the course of the last several years, Ms. Morris has used her photography skills to document life at one of the most unique summer camps in the country. This is a place where gender-nonconforming children between the ages of 6 and 13, primarily boys, and their families gather for a few days each year doing what comes naturally to them — donning heels, applying make-up, painting their nails and wearing flowing gowns and wigs.
Ms. Morris’s new book, “You Are You,” documents the camp through several seasons and it was created in collaboration with the parents who feel passionately about putting a face to the issue of gender-nonconformity. Ms. Morris will be at the Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill this Sunday to talk about the issue and her book.
The formation of the camp began with a group of parents who met at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington D.C. where they had gone to seek the advice of professionals in dealing with issues their children faced. The children were all exhibiting gender-nonconforming behavior and defying expectations of what a boy or girl should be. The parents wanted to learn how to support their kids in a healthy and beneficial way while developing a vocabulary so their communities and schools could also address it in a positive manner.
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"Crushed Velvet" by Lindsay Morris.[/caption]
But during their time at the center, the parents and therapists realized the kids were forming incredible bonds, so they decided to work together to create an experience where the children could be themselves without fear of judgment or reprisal.
“The parents saw a need for the kids to have an experience like a traditional summer camp,” explains Ms. Morris. “How they were presenting and identifying themselves made it difficult for traditional camps to figure out.”
For the protection of the children, the name of the camp, which hosts 20 to 30 families, is not made public, but campers gather for five days or so at the end of each summer at different religious retreat centers around the country which are rented for the purpose (and welcoming of the campers). These facilities have everything any great camp should — kayaks, rock walls and arts and crafts. But they also have things that only this kind of camp would — trunks full of evening gowns, high heels, make-up tables and a runway where the campers can strut their stuff for friends and families.
Though gender-nonconformity has been around for generations, until recently, many parents have found it easier to hide their children’s predilections, allowing them to dress up or play with Barbies only while at home. Parents who sought guidance were often blamed for their children’s behavior and told to avoid indulging in toys or clothing that went counter to a child’s gender. (By the way, we’re talking mostly about biological boys here, since it’s far easier for a girl who identifies as male to fly under the radar while wearing jeans and acting like a tomboy).
It’s also not unusual for communities to embrace reparative therapy, a belief that these children can be “cured” of gender-nonconforming tendencies with the right psychiatric treatment and guidance.
“It never works and it leads to depression and often suicide,” says Ms. Morris. “It’s not supporting your kid.”
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Children patiently wait for their turn on the runway for the highlight of the weekend, the fashion show. Photo by Lindsay Morris.[/caption]
By contrast, the parents or these campers are approaching the issue of gender-nonconformity in an entirely new way. Not only are they giving their children the support they need to be confident in who they are, they are also working within their communities to educate the population and encourage them to accept their children and their differences.
“The longer parents have been there, the more they open up about how they feel,” says Ms. Morris. “I think it’s more difficult for men. When you have a son and he’s growing up and you’re thinking about the sporting events you’ll do together, it’s rough. Some of these parents have to say goodbye to their sons. They really mourn the loss, but are thrilled about the idea of a daughter.”
“These parents are pioneers, the first group,” adds Ms. Morris. “They are thrown into this position of advocating for their kids and a lot of them — especially some of the dads — have been taken out of their comfort zone and realize this basic need to love and care for their children and help them live an authentic life.”
And that is why the families all agreed to be involved in “You Are You.” With this book, Ms. Morris explains, the parents feel they are putting a face — that of their own child — on a very important issue. The book is also a resource and is filled with essays, information and organizations that deal with gender-nonconformity.
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The cover of Lindsay Morris's book "You Are You."[/caption]
“These kids are looking at you and confronting you and saying who they are,” says Ms. Morris. “As a viewer, you have to make a decision as to how they present. Visibility is key. They’ve taken the stance, they’ve been very brave. It’s incredibly difficult, they feel they can move this forward.”
“That’s why they [the parents] asked me to make the pictures public,” she adds. “This is a chance to tell this new story of support and what the parents think of as history. It is a civil rights movement. They feel their children’s civil rights are being violated, and want their kids to live a productive life.”
While no one can say for certain what will happen once these campers age out of the camp and move toward adulthood — possibilities include transitioning to female, presenting as female but referring to oneself as male, identifying as gay, or remaining gender fluid — for now, the kids just want to be themselves.
That’s something Bruce Jenner is just now coming to terms with in his own transition to female and Ms. Morris applauds his willingness to speak so openly about the subject.
“He went from being part of this Kardashian circus to this real human being with a voice and something important to say,” says Ms. Morris. “He’s catapulted this conversation forward in a way no one else has, being so famous and brave. He’s just been given the right to live.”
“But he’s 65, it’s so sad,” she adds. “It’s the opposite for these kids. We’re not telling the story of a tragedy with these kids. It doesn't end in suicide and depression and homelessness. It ends with kids who are an asset to society and humanity.”
And kids who love seeing themselves looking beautiful for their friends and family during the runway show at camp.
“The first time the kids come bursting through the steamers, it takes your breath away,” says Ms. Morris. “The parents choke back sobs. They realize, ‘You’re here. You’re comfortable. So put on the dress, sequins, hair and make-up.’”
“It carries them through the year.”
“You Are You” a conversation and book signing with Lindsay Morris takes place at 11 a.m. this Sunday, May 17, 2015 at the Parrish Art Museum, 279 Montauk Highway, Water Mill. Admission $10 (free for members) and free admission with book purchase. Visit parrishart.org for details or call (631) 283-2118.
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The opening act at Camp "You Are You" fashion show 2015. Photo by Lindsay Morris.[/caption]
27east on May 11, 2015