Puberty

"Gender is a journey. It lasts a lifetime, leading your body through a path of self-discovery, experiences and, sometimes, restrictions. For some, the gender experience leads them beyond the binary. And this is the case for Laurence Philomne." British Journal of Photography, photobooks to take note of Puberty is a self-portrait project which looks at the intimate and vital process of self-care as a non-binary transgender person undergoing hormonal replacement therapy (HRT). Shot over a period of two years, it combines surreal colours and mundane environments to document daily moments and slow, subtle physical changes occurring during Philomene's transition. Looking at HRT as a process without a fixed end goal, Puberty challenges viewers to consider identity beyond binaries. "On one level these photos are about the photographer's personal experience of transitioning. At the same time, Philomne's images capture what has become a globalized human experience, as the difficulties of self-care at home and the pressures of productivity have grown more relevant during the coronavirus pandemic." CNN style