Out in Santa Fe, 2005
When I went dancing at the Paramount in Santa Fe, I would look around at the smiling faces of the women and know I wanted to photograph this. Living in a world that almost accepts homosexuality, it just always felt great to be in a women-only environment, seeing other women unafraid to enjoy each other in public.
At the same time, I was making portraits of gays and lesbians in their homes, some who were friends of ours and some whom I didn’t know. When I photographed Marcia, a folk artist, and Jodie, a cellist, they told me about their lives together and said, “We’ve been together 38 years.” Somehow I managed to get a portrait that appears to be two pictures. It’s one of those fun surprises that photography offers.
Sean, née Susan, the man in the red vest, was happy to finally be a man, which is what he has always known himself to be. I have a lot of affection for all my gay friends. Our lives aren’t as easy as they would be if we were mainstream heterosexuals, but we love our lives nevertheless.
