Photographed at Salesian House, Battersea.
About George
George is a transgender man and Catholic teacher of Religious Education at the secondary school he attended as a child. He was baptised in his secondary school at age 16 because of the wonderful support of my teachers, and went into education to make a difference to the lives of other young people. As the only openly LGBT+ member of staff working at his school, George hopes that his visibility enables other pupils to see you can not only exist but thrive in your identity. George is also a freelance consultant who works with Catholic schools in the UK to help them become more inclusive for LGBT+ students and staff.
JOY IS…
being able to exist, thrive and participate in all that we can share in life. I get joy from being with family and friends, walking my dog, sharing my story and educating others. I get joy as a teacher when I see young people expanding their horizons and learning about the lives of others, celebrating their differences and making the world a better place.
Trans joy to me is found in our shared commonality. It means being able to be visible, to be heard and to be accepted. It means being there for each other, being with each other and celebrating our milestones together.
In a world that often struggles to fully embrace diversity and inclusion, ‘Beyond the Binary – The Spectrum Of Trans Joy’ is a project dedicated to fostering social cohesion and visibility for the trans and intersex community. This fresh initiative from the award-winning queer photographer Chris Jepson seeks to empower and celebrate the trans+ community by showcasing authentic joy through a captivating series of individual and group portraits.