Probably new things, and in the back of my head, an offhand response to an objectifying comment I'd overhead of another image of the individual depicted.
The hand grenade line was me trying to embody the rage of the individual depicted in response to that statement.
I hate that I get that sort of response to my work when I do not intend to sexualise or objectify the people who pose for my images.
While any image can be gratifying to anyone, it is not my intent to generate that sort of content.
Beautifying and flattering, yes, objectifying, no. But this is the first time Im saying this out loud (and forever on hive, because no edits!) - I know that no matter what, I cannot deny or defy my "gendered" biology, and feel like no matter what or how I say such things, my genetic predisposition to having an x and y chromosome provides me with an irrevocable "male gaze".
Yes, but that's implicit in the act of creation itself, and not necessarily a bad thing. Obviously, it's a different thing being a sexist pig who uses "art" to expose lewd, objectifying or in some other way gauche ideas. But you looking at it from a male perspective is no less blamable, intrinsically, than I looking at it from a female perspective. I will always write as a woman and create men from my female (and no doubt also faulty) gaze.
All that being said, I'm sorry for the comment. That couldn't have been pleasant. It's never easy when someone assumes you were trying to "say" something you weren't with your art, and even less when they attribute to you something like this.
You have no place apologising for the remarks of another, and if in my just woken state I have forgotten the context; I must say what I often say to lots of women (and also men)- strangers, friends, colleagues. If something you did or said was with intention, do not ever apologise.
I accept my masculinity as a balance issue, but I think relative to my outward appearance, but for the longest time I've had far more female friends. When the typical "boys" get together, I find myself squamish and want to involve the balance of genders. We have fun as a corpus of society, not by excluding anyone.
Thanks for reminding me. Everyone tells me, but I still find myself apologizing when I shouldn't. Bad habit, I know :)
I reckon male gatherings can bring value to a man's life (from the men I've known, obviously), but also most boys' gatherings aren't like that, really. But yes, generally, the balance of the genders is optimal.