Photo taken by first-time contributor Kate C, a 21-year-old Sociology major turned photographer from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Kate was diagnosed with Rapid Cycling Bipolar I Disorder and anxiety in high school after having a manic episode with psychotic features. Photography has always been her main means of therapy when other forms of help simply did not work. Her favorite subjects to photograph include nature, different aspects of people, and events as they happen. Kate enjoys photographing with a Soviet era FED-4 Rangefinder 35mm film camera, manufactured in 1969, and a Canon Rebel T3 DSLR, gifted to her by her parents upon her graduation from high school in 2012. Over the past few years, Kate has regained confidence and control of her Bipolar Disorder, and she is currently in recovery.

About this photo: “For this series, I asked my subjects, including myself, to think of a time when society ostracized them and to write it down. Sociologically speaking, it is common practice among human beings to group themselves based on similar attributes, and to ostracize the particular group that deviates from societal norms and standards placed by society to be correct and “normal”. This is especially true of the grouping we see in regards to sexuality. The dominant sexuality in all societies has always been heterosexuality, and because of this label, everything else that pertains to human beings comes nicely packaged with a heteronormative connotation. The American media has stressed heteronormative relationships and heteronormative love for the better part of our history. Everything we look at and everything we see glorifies the idea that heterosexuality is the only form of love. I and many others like me have been denied respect and equal rights by many based on who we are attracted to and who we fall in love with. It is my true and present belief that I, and others like me, deserve to have our love identified with, respected, and accepted by all. Although we are all different, the importance of acceptance and coexistence is crucial. People must be seen in their entirety, and not in aspects of themselves. I am not less because I am not “normal”.

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