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Sophia Wallace: Strong ConnectionDiscussing her Bois and Dykes Project and moreby Bambi Weavil  We discovered the lovely, talented and full-of-heart photographer Sophia Wallace with her project, Bois and Dykes, which examines the concept of 'feminine masculinity' by visually telling the stories of people who live within a spectrum of identities ranging from dyke and butch, to tomboy, aggressive, and transgender. Flipping through the photos online, I knew I had to connect with her. Sophia candidly gives us her time and we are blown away with her talent and impact she is making with her photography and her heart. Here is my chat with one of the most fearless women I've met: Bambi Weavil: I was drawn to your work because it's incredible ability to capture people's personality, quite frankly, you have a beautiful gift of capturing so much emotion, the said and unsaid in one photo. What made you pursue photography as your profession?  Sophia Wallace: I have always felt a strong connection to my social environment. That sensitivity to what is happening around me is coupled with a deeply felt desire to understand the world I live in and to be an advocate for positive change within it. In high school, I expressed this through involvement in social justice organizations, particularly those engaged in political organizing against racism, violence against women, and for LGBT rights. This led me to study Political Science in college where I undertook a study abroad program in Ghana. This experience made me realize that it simply was not enough anymore to be analyzing and advocating based on the work of others - I wanted to create original work of my own. BW: Your Bois and Dykes project is also extremely intriguing look at a dynamic of our gay community. Please tell us how your project came to be. SW: The Bois and Dykes project was inspired by my experience as an open lesbian living in New York City. I was disturbed by the limited, and often butch-phobic ways lesbians were portrayed in the media, and I wanted to create a visual documentary of my community that felt truthful. I wanted to show butch women and trans men the way that I see them: as incredibly sexy, courageous, beautiful, and powerful. I also wanted to inspire audiences who weren't queer to look at my subjects and challenge their preconceived notions of what it means to be "butch". |
