This is one of my favorite photographs in a. klass’s portfolio, it is the cover picture of a carousel titled “t4t4t pt II (verticals)” (‘t4t’ is a common acronym, used online but also previously in periodicals and other media, that indicates a “trans-for-trans” sexual/romantic orientation or desire, nowadays it is also a Grindr tag that contains metadata go figures!an interesting question about data sexuality and identity). They are one of my favorite photographers, their work focuses on representing many different queer experiences. This picture in particular evokes so many feelings for me because of its affective domesticity. In the picture three trans humans can be seen sitting in a bathroom. One of them is wearing a BDSM leather chest harness and is injecting what I infer is HRT onto the tattooed arm of one of their partners. The person being injected (middle) is looking towards their other partner, who is applying makeup on their face. In many ways this picture displays transnes in a very counter-hegemonic way: trans people are inside of a home, they are being cared for/caring for others, they are accessing affirming tools (hormones, makeup). The joy and peacefulness of this image is precisely the type of affect that I would like my work to convey. Notably, conrtadictory with dominant narratives about transness and gender/sexual dissidence.
Photograph by: a. klass (they/them)
Right front: Landon St. James (he/they)
Middle front: King (they/them)
Middle back: Mx Jade (she/her/they/them/siya)
Cite as
a klass, "t4t4t", contributed by Sab Garduno, Center for Ethnography, Platform for Experimental Collaborative Ethnography, last modified 21 May 2024, accessed 19 December 2024. http://centerforethnography.org/content/t4t4t
Critical Commentary
This is one of my favorite photographs in a. klass’s portfolio, it is the cover picture of a carousel titled “t4t4t pt II (verticals)” (‘t4t’ is a common acronym, used online but also previously in periodicals and other media, that indicates a “trans-for-trans” sexual/romantic orientation or desire, nowadays it is also a Grindr tag that contains metadata go figures! an interesting question about data sexuality and identity). They are one of my favorite photographers, their work focuses on representing many different queer experiences. This picture in particular evokes so many feelings for me because of its affective domesticity. In the picture three trans humans can be seen sitting in a bathroom. One of them is wearing a BDSM leather chest harness and is injecting what I infer is HRT onto the tattooed arm of one of their partners. The person being injected (middle) is looking towards their other partner, who is applying makeup on their face. In many ways this picture displays transnes in a very counter-hegemonic way: trans people are inside of a home, they are being cared for/caring for others, they are accessing affirming tools (hormones, makeup). The joy and peacefulness of this image is precisely the type of affect that I would like my work to convey. Notably, conrtadictory with dominant narratives about transness and gender/sexual dissidence.
Photograph by: a. klass (they/them)
Right front: Landon St. James (he/they)
Middle front: King (they/them)
Middle back: Mx Jade (she/her/they/them/siya)