With the upcoming election playing such a pivotal role in determining so many peoples’ futures and safety in this country, including my own… I felt it was only right that I advocate for myself through my photography.

I took the time to vote early yesterday and decided to do a self portrait photoshoot afterwards. This election has brought up a lot of feelings for me so I also thought I would also take the time to write a letter to the loved ones in my life expressing how important your vote is, not only to me, but for the rest of the world. It’s included here if you’d like to read or even share with your own loved ones.

A Letter To My Loved Ones…

I’m writing this letter to you as your trans son, brother, grandchild, nephew, friend, loved one, whatever I am to you… simply asking you to listen.

This is not about my political opinion versus yours. This is not me trying to make you change that opinion. This is me simply asking you to consider my life in the upcoming election this year.

There are over 500 laws that have been introduced in state legislatures that threaten my safety as a trans man living in this country. There are currently 28 states in the United States with laws that can affect my safety.

I’ve spent a majority of my life hiding from the world, pretending to be somebody I wasn’t, because I was afraid. I was afraid of what you might think of me. I was afraid of how society would treat me. I was afraid of myself. You might not be able to relate to exactly how that feels but I need you to try to understand.

I don’t want to live in fear again. I’ve lived in it almost all my life. I didn’t even know what freedom FELT like until I transitioned. But it’s hard to REALLY feel free when the government is constantly trying to take that freedom away.

So I’ve had to learn how to advocate for myself… even when I’m scared… which is actually exactly why I’m writing this letter.

This country terrifies me right now. Especially living in it as a trans person. But to be realistic, living in it as anything other than a cis, straight, white male is terrifying. But people never want to admit that.

It’s even scarier to know that the man running for president right now does not like the fact that I exist. Whether you believe this or not, it is not in Trump’s favor to keep me or any other marginalized group safe against these laws. Including all of the women in your life. In fact, Trump said on “day one” he would reverse the expansion of the Title IX law that will prohibit federally funded schools from preventing transgender students from using bathrooms, locker rooms and pronouns that align with their gender identities. He told a crowd in Iowa in March he would sign an executive order to “cut federal funding” for schools pushing “critical race theory, transgender insanity, and other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content on our children.” There are multiple quotes from him referring to my community as “sick or deranged” and he vowed to crack down on “transgender insanity” and take away every Biden policy “promoting the disfigurement of our youth.”

94% of trans and non-binary adults report that GAC bans make them feel unsafe, and over half (52.7%) of trans adults are considering moving to a new state due to passed or pending GAC bans.

“Who would even think that you can allow this? Who would say that this is okay? These people are sick. They are deranged…. It’s astonishing how passionately people react to that. When you talk about tax cuts, they remain calm. But when you mention transgender issues, everyone goes wild. Who would have imagined five years ago that they wouldn’t even know what ‘it’ meant?”

- Trump referring to transgender athletes at a rally

Now, you are completely entitled to your own opinion and I will always respect that. But when that opinion is in support of someone denying me of my basic human rights, then yeah… I will question the love you actually have for me.

So I’m only asking you to do one thing…

Please try to fight for me… and for every other loved one you have whose rights you KNOW are being threatened in this election.

I need help. My community needs help. This world needs help. So yes, your vote matters.

At the very least… it matters to me. So don’t be silent when this is the one chance you can use your voice to not only help me and so many other people, but help the world you’re living in.

That’s why I proudly voted for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz for the 2024 Presidential Election yesterday.

And I hope I can count on you to consider a president who’s going to fight for my rights instead of take them away. One that I voted for because she’s the only hope any of us have to feel free again in this country.

Anyways, either way… thanks for listening.

Early voting may be available in your area. Check IWillVote.com to see what works best for you! 💙❤️