Fantastic Woman

Marsha Tegard is a sixty-seven year-old trans woman who lives in North Carolina and transitioned in 2015. Since I met her, I realized she wanted to show people what her life was like and that she might be an example, an inspiration to others. She became my muse—a very special one. I was able to hear her fascinating story, from the time she was adopted as a newborn to her confused and hectic adolescence. My explorations went further with her collection of photographs, which she generously lent me and allowed me to use. For several months I photographed her more in spirit than in the flesh.

Speaking of transgender seniors is a relatively new topic. Although the politics around the issue are still tense—given the present US government’s conservative bias—on a day-to-day basis Marsha defies a society that subjects her to a certain degree of rejection. She’s a woman who lives intensely, who enjoys things, who explores her sensuality and takes pleasure in it at the slightest provocation. She challenges the viewer to observe a different, very fragile, human body. For all of this, Marsha is an absolutely fantastic woman.