Reborn
Reborn depicts personal Journey of Teo, first transgender man in Slovenia to undergo his treatment before reaching adulthood. In today's globally polarized society, transgender rights are being a centre of discussion and transformation more than ever before. LGBTQ+ related debates tend to be misused by populist politicians, not considering how difficult the consequences can be for individuals from this marginalized community. Strengthened by gender stereotypes and strong inclinations to Catholicism which grew after the fall of Iron Curtain, a phenomenon present in central and eastern Europe, stories of transgender people are often accompanied by societal denial and inner conflicts. However, this project does not showcase only the dark side of this journey. With my contemporary photographs, recontextualized archival material, family album images and fragments of personal interview, I try to follow the path of Teo with its full complexity and fluctuations. Throughout the project, the viewer is witnessing a shift Theodor's family went through, slowly moving from denial and rejection to understanding and acceptance. Other than personal and inner battles, Teo additionally took part in an historical shift of his country. Since he underwent his treatment illegally, by using loopholes in the system before reaching adulthood, the realization that this can affect not only his personal life but also the circumstances for future generations of transgender people, added an additional burden.
This project is aiming to show how complex and emotionally challenging this journey can be but also a celebration of the positive shift we can make by achieving understanding and empathy.