On Christopher Street: Transgender Stories

New Yorker Mark Seliger's photography is gorgeous, frequently black and white. He's taken both breathtaking images of the rich and famous as well as the anonymous. "On Christopher Street: Transgender Stories" is a blend of portraiture as well as the commemoration of the welcoming nature of Christopher Street. Although the Stonewall Inn is located in the West Village on Christopher Street, the area has faded into the rest of the West Village since the late 1980s, including the closure of stores and bars that catered mostly to gay patrons. The iconic zeitgeist's most beloved children are on display here, in their skin, in their neighborhood and in their own words.

Whether posing alone or with families, of blood or of choice, both well-known and semi-anonymous trans folk gaze directly into the lens or off into the distance, each an individual. Occasional quotes from subjects also round off the photos. Although many of the stories have happy endings, each one is different, which rings true to the multifaceted transgendered experience. Hopefully, many transgendered men, women, people and allies will identify with one of the many images and stories shared. It is humanizing to visualize this multiplicity of images, proof that there is no single, narrow way to be trans identified.

"On Christopher Street" is a collage of the trans experience with representation of different genders, races, sexualities, and yes, even styles of dress. Although actors, musicians and models may employ come hither stares and designer togs in several shots, there are those who do not necessarily share the fierce aesthetics of the moneyed and beautiful people of the City. I appreciate that portraits which straddle the gender binary line or portray people of a lower income bracket are still a part of the book even though these prints may not be as aesthetically interesting to a broader audience, or easy to understand for someone who believes strongly in the gender binary.

Defiant or in repose, these lovely folk are redefining what gender means to people who may be meeting even the idea of transgender for the first time in the pages of Mark Seliger's book. And even Christopher Street, although it is iconic globally, as an idea might be new for someone turning the pages of this book. The strange concept of a place where one could go to visit with a queer community or several queer communities without having to hide or pass is revolutionary, too.

"On Christopher Street: Transgender Stories"
Photographs by Mark Seliger
Rizzoli New York
http://www.rizzoliusa.com/book.php?isbn=9780847858316
$55.00