Musa Francis
“My first gender-affirming experience happened in a barber’s chair when I was about three. While my mum was away, I asked my dad if I could have my hair cut like his, and he said yes. It’s one of my earliest memories. As an adult, barbershops haven’t felt safe or welcoming, so I learned to cut my own hair. It’s become a weekly ritual of affirmation, and sitting in the chair again felt like a celebration of my sovereignty.
For styling, I wanted to bring my creativity into the frame. I wore an oversized scarf I crocheted myself and trousers I altered by hand. Wearing pieces I’ve made or tailored feels like wrapping myself in love and adoration. I chose to show my arms—a part of myself I used to minimise, and now choose to craft and celebrate.
I wore a red jasper bracelet for embodied confidence. Chris made the whole experience feel safe, enjoyable, and celebratory. I felt completely at ease, and he truly captured my essence. I love the depth and warmth in the images, both visually and emotionally, and the way my skin glows. I feel bold, powerful and wholly myself.”
Musa Francis (he/him)
Musa Francis is a queer trans man, a wellness coach and a writer who supports LGBTQIA+ artists and creatives to grow into calmer, joyful, and more resilient versions of themselves. He leads BLOOMING QUEER and builds spaces where people can live with courage, care for themselves and root into their power. He loves deep conversations, the rhythm of the seasons, small rituals and the steady work of raising humans and houseplants.
Queerness sits at the centre of how he knows himself. He follows what feels true in his body, mind, heart and soul. He lets go of outside expectations and builds ways of living and creating that feel honest and spacious. When someone in a bookshop called him a young man for the first time after he stopped performing womanhood, something inside him settled. He felt recognised in a way he had waited years to feel.
His body is an altar for reclamation. He dresses in deep black, a colour that grounds him and holds power and possibility. He adds crystal bracelets to shift his energy for the day. This simple palette gives him space and calm, which supports his neurodivergence. Dressing becomes an act of intention that carries into how he moves and how he holds others: warm, creative, earthy, with a hint of witchy edge.
His message to his younger self, and to queer kids now: Follow what makes your queer heart bloom. Do more of what makes you feel alive and most like yourself. Let your joy be your guide. Let curiosity lead you. Dream boldly. Envision the life you want to live and the person you’re growing into. Hold that vision close. Trust that your path will unfold in time, even when the way forward feels unclear. Trust your becoming.
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This is UNCUT — a raw, striking portrait series by award-winning photographer Chris Jepson capturing the power and pride of Queer Joy, shot in a barber’s chair. No filters, no retouching, no compromise. Just bold, beautiful people taking up space exactly as they are.