There’s something especially powerful about self-portraiture.
When queer artists photograph themselves, they control the narrative completely. No outsider gaze. No misrepresentation.
In post-socialist contexts, where mainstream media often distorted queer identities, self-portraiture becomes self-definition.
You decide how you look. How you pose. What you reveal.
Some self-portraits feel confrontational — staring directly into the lens. Others feel vulnerable, almost diary-like.
The body becomes canvas and protest at the same time.
And because photography freezes time, these self-portraits become long-term acts of resistance. They outlive censorship. They outlive governments.
They say: this is me. On my terms.
