If there’s one item that Jesse Freidin you do, it’s get someone’s mind.
No, Freidin doesn’t have any magical abilities like a Disney witch; rather, the acclaimed photographer, artist, and educator has a unique ability to capture the essence of his subjects in a way that transcends the frame.
From his critically acclaimed “When Dogs Heal” initiative that captured people living with HIV and their dogs who saved them, to his popular line “Doggie Gaga Project”, snaps of pooches on Polaroid dressed in Lady Gaga’s most memorable looks, Freidin’s images are disarming, close, cheerful and had a wonderful way of plunging the viewer into the subject’s world — whether that subject is a puppy or a person.
Before COVID-19 became popular, Freidin established himself as the nation’s foremost canine good arts shooter by telling tales about the human condition and unconditional love.
In recent years, but, Freidin’s labor has evolved from the sweet to the more pensive.
“During the pandemic, I felt like I had said everything that I had wanted to say about the dog/human link”, Freidin said. “The start of the anti-trans laws that were gaining momentum, as a gay people and associate of the trans community, caused me to feel extremely anxious and upset.”
In 2021, at the top of the crisis, the United States saw a major boom in the amount of pro-trans legislation being introduced to the House — 144 bills, to be exact, according to Trans Legislation Tracker. Bills like Arkansas’ “Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act”, which aimed to ban gender-affirming care, as well as Montana’s “Save Women’s Sports Act”, slated to stop trans girls and women from participating in women’s sports teams, were among the 18 that were passed into law.
By 2023, the trend continued to increase with a record-breaking fourth consecutive year of anti-trans bills being considered nationwide, according to translegislation.com. In 2024, dozens of anti-trans legislation bills will still be introduced, and 11 of them have already been passed, all within the first three months of the year.
Freidin’s most recent photo series is set in this very universe.
“Are You OK?” relates the experiences and stories of transgender and nonbinary youth living in the United States during this time of severe and regressive anti-trans laws. The impressive collection, which is currently on display at the Dairy Arts Center, dives a long way into the difficulties faced by these individuals during this troubled era.
The Dairy Arts Center will host Freidin for a free event on Friday at 7 p.m. to discuss his work. This will give attendees a unique opportunity to learn about the stories behind the images and engage in meaningful conversation about the pressing issues facing the transgender and nonbinary community.
“Are You OK?” goes beyond a conventional gallery show. Freidin posed the images on the Dairy’s exterior walls, like an outdoor portrait hall, with the help of the Dairy Arts Center’s visual arts curator Drew Austin, who literally took the project “outside of the box.” The photographs, which include a transcript of Freidin’s conversation with the subject of the photo, are on view together and will be on display through May.
QR codes that provide access to an interview’s audio recording are also included. This way of viewing the exhibit puts transgender and nonbinary youth at the center of their narrative, allowing viewers to hear each subject’s stories in their own words.
“The only people, at this point, that can be trusted to speak about the harms being done by this legislation, and the only people who should be speaking about trans lives, are trans people”, Freidin said. “Nobody else. That’s why I created this project, as the information is actively leaking to us.”
One photograph tells the story of 23-year-old Juls. Through bold and brightly painted eyelids, Juls stares confidently at the camera, flanked by another person — Juls’ mother, whose face is out of frame, but whose hand rests gently on her child’s shoulder.
It’s powerful to watch Jules speak in his face as he listens to the recorded interview. The experience is immersive, and it feels like Juls is right there, in real life, talking to you about her world. It’s beautiful, it’s poignant and you hear her story twice as loud. It hurts.
“I just don’t understand why, instead of going forward, which is what we’re supposed to do, we’re going backwards”, Juls said to Freidin in her interview. “I come from Brazil, and only now are we starting to make change in our community. Although Brazil is one of the biggest nations in the world where trans people are killed, trans people are still making progress there. And here we’re going backwards”.
Despite her fears and trepidation, Juls also expresses gratitude for her mother, who, though in the background, has remained a supportive presence in Juls’ life. This theme is consistent across every one of Freidin’s portraits, with parents or parent figures present in the image — symbolizing their presence in their children’s lives.
According to research, having one supportive adult in a trans person’s life lowers their suicide risk 40%, according to Freidin.
“Having supportive families wo n’t keep a trans child or adult safe from the harms of the world,” Freidin said. “But it is true that having supportive parents gives trans kids a chance to grow up,” he said. Anyone paying attention to that is really fighting only for that. We can’t guarantee that any trans person will lead a long, happy life because we can’t guarantee that any human will. However, what we can do is prepare children for success. And that is entirely dependent on whether or not they have devoted adults living there.
At Friday’s event at the Dairy’s Carsen Theater, Freidin will discuss his inspirations behind “Are You OK,” while further educating attendees about anti-trans legislation, followed by a Q&, A and discussion.
According to Austin, the curator of the visual arts at Dairy, Freidin’s talk will give attendees a chance to learn factual and nuanced information from a transgender artist who is aware of how anti-trans legislation affects their lives, rights, and freedoms. Moreover, the event serves as a platform for individuals to support transgender youth, confront their biases, advocate for inclusivity and speak out against injustice.
“It’s important to explain why we’re doing this project, and why it matters,” Austin said. “We’re creating space for people to be seen while also making space for people to share their experiences through art or words. It’s about showing people that trans youth exist, and they’re real, and they’re not going anywhere. These people are just young people, regardless of what your views are. They’re kids. They’re just trying to be themselves, and they’re under attack.”
They don’t have the right to use the restroom when they feel comfortable going into the bathroom, or they don’t have the right to play basketball with their friends on the team with whatever gender they identify with. Our government is making statements that these people don’t exist while trying to silence and make them invisible.
Freidin’s work is a testament to the fact that trans youth do exist. And right now, they are not OK.
For more information about the project, or to reserve a spot at Friday’s event, visit thedairy.org/event/are-you-ok
Local support
- Out Boulder County provides a variety of programs for LGBTQ+ people, including transgender youth, in Boulder County, including youth programs, support groups, social events, mental health referrals. Learn more at outboulder. org.
- Boulder County Public Health provides a variety of resources and links for inclusion for health and mental health providers. Learn more at bouldercounty. gov/families/lgbtqia/trans- resources- in- boulder- county.
