PLUR.IEL
Discovering a fluid identity
PLUR.IEL is a photographic project that aims to shed light on all gender identities; and at the same time takes into consideration each of them in their uniqueness and with their many facets, which can be constantly evolving. Just as our body and mind are constantly changing throughout life; just as it is said that our physical and mental identity constantly changes throughout our life; our gender identity may not be fixed either.
In the photos of PLUR.IEL, through the play of light and mirrors, the image of the body is shaped to reflect the different gender identities that constitute the subjects and the continuous process of discovery that these subjects experience, through the encounter with their different identity facets. At the same time, the stories that accompany the photos bring us into the privacy of this journey of discovery, which is different for everyone. Each of these people has lived and continues to live a journey of encounter with oneself - and reveals part of this journey to us with their words.
S.
he/they (il/iel)
“For me, it all started when... Just kidding.
My non-binary never started, except maybe when I was born. In short, it has always been there. This is a question that I am often asked. "When did you find out you were non-binary?" or even for some "what caused *moment of meditation* this, my darling?". So I answer with the age at which I found the exact definition for my identity and that no , there is no cause for "it". But looking back, I realize that I always knew that I was not this label that was assigned to me at birth. I was much more. I was, I am an umbrella. My identity expression can fluctuate. Most of the time, she is quite androgynous. But it gives me wings to have the freedom to be masculine, then feminine or mix the two styles and still not be gendered by the people I meet. It's a privilege that I find to be able to let myself go and act feminine, for example, while keeping a masculine style, or the opposite. I do as I feel. My sensations in relation to my body also vary but in the end I always feel non-binary. I can own my body one moment and the next want another one, but I'm still who I am in my head.
Speaking of how it feels - no, it doesn't hurt. Only the daggers that society sticks inside you have their effect. For my part, I experience daily discomfort when looking at certain parts of my body, specific to my gender. It's called dysphoria. Sometimes it goes away and then I can take care of other problems related to my body; but when it’s there, it is difficult to stare at my own face and appear in front of others.
To reveal to you the hidden face of the Moon, know that they have always seen themselves as different from others but unique to themselves. I wake up every morning feeling stressed, thinking about the day I'm about to start, not about who I am. I know who I am, I'm S., I'm sincere to myself, I'm non-binary.” S., 17.
French (original):
“Pour moi, tout à commencé lorsque... Je rigole.
Ma non-binarité n'a jamais commencé, sauf peut-être quand je suis né. Bref, elle a toujours été là.
C'est une question qu'on me pose souvent. "Quand est ce que tu as découvert que tu étais non-binaire ?" ou encore pour certain.es "qu'est-ce qui a causé *moment de méditation* ça mon/ma chéri.e?"
Alors je réponds par l'âge auquel j'ai trouvé le terme exact de mon identité et que non, il n'y a pas de cause à "ça". Mais, en retournant en arrière, je me rends compte que j'ai toujours su que je n'étais pas cette étiquette qu'on m'avait assigné à la naissance. J'étais bien plus. J'étais, je suis un parapluie. Mon expression d'identité peut fluctuer. La plupart du temps, elle est assez androgyne. Mais ça me donne des ailes d'avoir la liberté de pouvoir être masculin.e, puis féminin.e ou mélanger les 2 styles et de malgré tout ne pas être genré par les gens que je rencontre. C'est un privilège que je trouve de pouvoir me laisser aller et agir femininement par exemple tout en gardant un style masculin, ou le contraire. Je fais comme je le sens. Mes sensations par rapport à mon corps varient aussi mais au final je me sens toujours non-binaire. Je peux assumer mon corps pendant un moment et la minute d'après en vouloir un autre, mais je reste qui je suis dans ma tête.
En parlant de comment on se sent, non, ça ne fait pas mal. Seulement les poignards que la société vous enfonce dedans font leur effet.
Pour ma part je vis une gêne au quotidien en regardant certaines parties de mon corps, propres à mon sexe. On appelle ça de la dysphorie. Parfois elle s'en va et je peux alors m'occuper des autres problèmes de mon corps, mais quand elle est là, il est difficile de se regarder en face et d'apparaître devant les autres.
Pour vous révéler la face cachée de la Lune, eh bien sachez que iel s'est toujours vu différent des autres mais propre à iel-même. Je me réveille tous les matins en stressant, pensant à la journée que je vais entamer, pas à mon identité. Je sais qui je suis, je suis Sofijo, je suis propre à moi-même, je suis non-binaire.” S., 17.
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M.
elle
"I started to assert myself by claiming my sexual orientation. As a child, I never worried about who I liked or how I felt. It was when I heard the word "lesbian" coming out of other people's mouths that I realized there was a dissonance between my reality and the norm of others.
It was the first closet I came out of. After that, the question of my gender identity came very naturally. I felt ten thousand leagues from what a "woman" is. So I defined myself. With the word non-binary, I first found a common denominator with those who share the same reality as me. Then, I found a way to make myself understood by those for whom gender is totally abstract.
The problem with the dictates of society is that they blur communication with others as well as they insinuate themselves into the relationship one has with oneself. I want everyone not to be defined by dictates but to be able to express what they are for themselves. I want to know who I am, and who I really have in front of me. By dint of scratching under the surface, I found what makes my person. I claim what is mine and leave the rest to others.
I don't need a label to recognize myself in the mirror, it's Me. On the other hand, I make my voice heard and I come out of the invisible.
My identity emerges." M.
French (original):
J'ai commencé à m'affirmer en revendiquant mon orientation sexuelle. Étant enfant, je ne me suis jamais inquiétée de qui j'aimais où de comment je me sentais. C'est quand j'ai entendu le mot "lesbienne" sortir de la bouche des autres que je me suis rendue compte qu'il y avait une dissonance entre ma réalité et la norme des autres.
C'était le premier placard dont je suis sortie. Après ça, la question de mon identité de genre est venue très naturellement. Je me sentais à dix mille lieues de ce qu'est une "femme". Alors je me suis autodéfinie. Avec le mot non-binare, j'ai d'abord trouvé un dénominateur commun avec celleux qui partagent la même réalité que moi. Ensuite, j'y ai trouvé un moyen de me faire comprendre par ceux pour qui le genre est totalement abstrait.
Le problème avec les dictats de la société, c'est qu'ils brouillent la communication avec les autres aussi bien qu'ils s'insinuent dans la relation qu'on a avec soi-même. Je veux que chacun ne soit pas défini par des dictats mais puisse exprimer ce qu'iel est d'iel-même. Je veux savoir qui je suis, et qui j'ai vraiment en face de moi.
À force de gratter sous la surface, j'ai trouvé ce qui fait ma personne. Je revendique ce qui m'appartient et je laisse le reste aux autres.
Je n'ai pas besoin d'étiquette pour me reconnaître dans le miroir, c'est Moi. En revanche je fais entendre ma voix et je sors de l'invisible.
Mon identité voit le jour.” M., 21.
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D.
she/they (elle/ielle)
“Being non-binary is going to mean something a bit different for everyone. I find most comfort in seeing myself as girlflux, and often feel shifting feelings of identifying strongly as a woman and identifying strongly as agender. It mostly aligns with my mood, and I most of the time adjust certain aspects of my expression during the shifts because it feels more ‘me’.
Me coming to terms with my gender also meant coming to terms with my feelings and emotions. Recognizing and understanding my gender also meant being able to feel emotions I often pushed aside, and recognize those feelings as valid. It also sounds quite strange, but it provides comfort recognizing that there is a community and body of vocabulary that helps to describe this experience.
I think there are a lot more non-binary people in our lives than we think. Often times people tip-toe around nonbinariness, with general confusion, uncertainty of pronouns, etc. But at the end of the day, gender is solely a social construct, and there are no moral or justifiable rules that back heteronormativity. The world gets a little bit better when we don’t have to stick to a rigid rulebook of senseless ideas, and all of us can find more comfort and fullness in our actions, identities, and ways of being.” D.
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