“I came to the studio excited by the prospect of juxtaposing my musculature and full tattoo bodysuit with Thomas’s intense creativity, and I was not disappointed. For decades, I’ve considered my musculature to be my armor, my protection against wasting from HIV. In the past ten years I’ve had sacred armor tattooed onto my armor. Double protection, as it were! The process of the shoot was quite trippy for me, taking my masculine armor and embracing feminine energy. The corset was the first challenge. I’ve worked hard to shape my body through weightlifting, which certainly has taken discipline over the years, but feeling the constriction of a corset closing in on you literally takes your breath away! I was amazed by the transformation, how it feminized my form by creating the illusion of a tiny little waist. The heels. Wow. At first, it was all I could do to not topple over. But once I found my balance, my legs felt powerful and strong. The shoot itself was a lot of fun. I loved watching Thomas’ creative gears spinning as he moved us from one inspiration to another. The results blew my mind. I’m so grateful for this blast of a collaboration.”

Photographer/ creative director: Thomas Evans
Model: Brad Carpenter
Makeup: Coco Iman