Sarah Wong has spent the last 13 years documenting the lives of a group of children who identify as transgender or simply question the gender they were assigned at birth. Full of quiet and reflective imagery that embrace their own visions of themselves, it's hard to imagine the kids as anything other then how they are captured.
What's particularly beautiful about Sarah Wong's series, dubbed Inside Out, is the fact that she was approached by their loving and supportive parents after they stumbled upon her photo book for a children's hospital. She shares, "The parents of [transgender] children saw this book on broadcast and called me. They [also] wanted such a book. A week later we met and the children immediately touched my heart."
Transgender Children Portraits
Inside Out by Sarah Wong Documents a Group of Gender-Affirming Kids
Trend Themes
1. Transgender Representation - Creating more representation for transgender individuals through photography and other mediums presents an opportunity for disrupting traditional gender norms.
2. Family Support - The theme of supportive and loving families can be used as an opportunity to disrupt the stigmatization of the transgender community.
3. Youth Advocacy - Advocating for the rights and acceptance of transgender youth can create an opportunity for disruptive innovation within social justice and political activism spaces.
Industry Implications
1. Photography - Through inclusive photography practices, the photography industry can disrupt traditional gender norms and promote acceptance of transgender individuals.
2. Children's Publishing - Publishing more transgender-affirming literature in the children's book industry can disrupt gender normativity from a young age.
3. Social Work - The use of supportive families in the transgender community can be used to disrupt practices within social work, promoting the need for more family support in marginalized communities.