what is identity? is it labels that limit you? colors that bind you to a specific place and people?
is it the added flair of life? is it the little bits of ourselves that distinguish you from me?
my opinion is complex. i feel weird even editing these photos. there's a part of me that doesn't want to make this my whole identity, but it's an inescapable part of me. there's decades of history behind the simplistic rainbow flag, and i wear it. what does that make me? do these labels still matter? does the first of anything have weight?
there is pride in our everyday selves. we should be proud to express ourselves. but it's a tiring thing. very often, i find myself feeling a weight that's most likely made up by my mind. this picture on the surface level conveys the simple way that i show my identity: a pride flag. codes of colors patterned that mean something. but in the framing and empty space shows the anxiety and weight that i feel. the confusion evident in the portrayal of these pride flags.
identity is constantly evolving. it's hard to define, but maybe that's a good thing.