In conjunction with UK BLACK PRIDE FESTIVAL that happens Sunday 20th August in London’s Queen Elizabeth Park, CHRISTIES the leading Art Auction House is hosting 16th Century Life Expectancy. It is an exhibition that explores misinformation surrounding the Black trans community, whilst also shining a light on the bias, discrimination, and racism they encounter on a daily basis.
For years it has been widely reported that Black trans women have a life expectancy of just 35. This bleak statistic first arose back in 2015 when a report compiled by the ‘Inter-American Commission on Human Rights’ found the average age of Black trans homicide victims in some parts of Latin America was between 30 and 35.
Although a very real and shocking statistic, it has since been extrapolated, taken out of context, and shared thousands of times across social media – fuelling a rippling effect of fear within the entire Black trans community around the world.
A life expectancy of 35 would put Black trans women on a par with people living in the 16th Century – an absurd comparison – but one that brings to life how misinformation can be harmful, as it precipitates a self-fulfilling prophecy within the community.
This contemporary portrait series highlights the dangers of misinformation – both conscious and unconscious – and engages five prominent Black trans people to elicit their opinions on what needs to be done to ensure the protection of the trans community.
Ebun Sodipo she/her
Untitled [1529 / 2023]
Oil on canvas, retouched digitally
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Ebun is an artist who creates work for Black trans people of the future, producing and finding Black trans histories that bring joy, not pain. When asked about the narrative around the 35-year life expectancy statistic, Ebun said:
“Transness for me is about being alive and living and imagining myself into the future, it wasn’t until I started transitioning that I was like I could do this. I wonder what I’ll look like when I’m 65, so let’s plan that out. I’m excited to think about the future now because I’m trans.”
Many people suggest that being trans is ‘just a fad’ or ‘a phase’ forgetting that indigenous cultures have understood and embraced gender fluidity from the Hijari of South Asia, the two spirited Indigenous North Americans to the mudoko dako Langi of northern Uganda; they have always existed. It is colonialism that has erased this rich history from across the globe, making the journey for some to be their true authentic self, riddled with the risk of social stigma, discrimination, and harassment. Over half of the users of LGBT+ homeless shelters and LGBT+ hotlines are people of colour. The legacy of colonialist hate of gender fluidity instilled in communities across the globe still exists and impacts people to this day.
Rico Jacob Chace he/him
Untitled [1561/2023]
Oil on canvas, retouched digitally
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Rico is a social entrepreneur, activist, Trustee & Treasurer at LGBT+ Consortium, and semi-finalist on Channel 4 Make Me Prime Minister. He spends his time fighting for equal rights for the trans community. Speaking on the discrimination his community faces, he said:
‘In the last few years, there have been hundreds of clickbait articles published about trans people by the mainstream press, and not once has a member of the trans community been consulted or quoted for it. This fuels the misinformation and the anti-trans rhetoric. To better understand the community, media outlets and the press need first to engage trans people and hear first-hand about their struggles and lived experiences.”
Rico concluded, “The waiting time for accessing trans-specific healthcare if 5 years. Can you imagine not being your true self for a 5-year period? There is an obvious impact on mental health, pushing the community to a survival mode of self-medication. There are 10 countries in Europe that don’t require a mental health review to access healthcare; some countries like Malta are offering all gender-affirming care for free. ILGA-Europe, which has ties to the European Union, has downgraded the UK over the years from its consistent 1st place in 2015 to the now 17th place due to long wait times for gender-affirming care and anti-trans rhetoric in the media. It’s progressively worsening- this is the news they should report.”
Mzz Kimberely she/her
Untitled [1502 / 2023]
Oil on canvas, retouched digitally
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Kim Tatum AKA Mzz Kimberley has had an expansive and successful career spanning decades as a singer-actress, the face of an all-white establishment, Heaven nightclub in the 90s, and director of Mzz Kimberley’s LIFE, a production company highlighting trans art. She sits pride of place in the LGBTQIA+ community as a pillar of trans excellence and speaks from her lived experiences to galvanize a new generation of trans youth and trans women of color. When talking about her experiences as a trans woman she said:
“I never had role models so I grew up very alone in my thoughts, I couldn’t really share myself with anyone because I was afraid of being ridiculed. But as I got older you develop this toughness and this ‘I don’t give a fuck anymore attitude’; which is forced upon by society, where you have to learn to be strong to survive.”
Disinformation has devastating consequences for trans children. Many people in the media, press and online are peddling myths like “rapid onset gender dysphoria,” which suggests that more children are coming out as the result of a “social contagion,” to justify new laws and legislation that restrict trans medical care.
Private View : 24th August. 6-9 pm POCKO GALLERY 51A King Henrys Walk London Runs until 25h September 2023
UK Black Prideat Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Sunday, 20 August, 2023 12 noon – 8pm UK Black Pride is the world’s largest celebration for African, Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American and Caribbean-heritage LGBTQI+ people.
