As a queer and gender-nonconforming person navigating life in a region deeply entrenched in Christianity, I find myself straddling two worlds. While I don’t hold any religious beliefs, I cannot deny the profound impact that Appalachian and Deep Southern Christianity have on the queer experience. Not only is religion pitted against the queer community by the government through legislation, but by our neighbors.
I’m from Huntington, West Virginia, in the “Bible Belt” where it is understandable to avoid Christianity or Catholicism completely as a member of the LBGTQ+ community. In the form of reclamation, I use the iconography and symbolism of these religions not in contrast but in tandem with queerness. While anti-trans laws are being introduced daily, fostering connections between our community and classically Appalachian roots is more pertinent than ever. We have to work to better our home for the future and ourselves.
As a photographer, I am drawn to exploring the intersections of identity, spirituality, and bodies. My circle of friends, who are predominantly queer and trans individuals, provide solace and inspiration in a society that often fails us.
In this photo series, I aim to capture the essence of our shared experiences as trans and queer individuals within the context of Appalachia. Along with these positives, it is also necessary to show the loneliness of this experience. Each subject in this series represents a unique expression of gender and/or sexuality.
Using the symbolism of rebirth, community connection, and the search for answers outside oneself inherent in the Appalachian Christian tradition, I strive to create images that resonate with both our journeys and the broader narrative of this region. The river as a symbol of baptism and ceremony is the backbone of this series. From ceremonial washings to great floods, the power of water is undeniable. Through editing, these photos have grain and lens flares creating a look of being lost to time.
(From left to right) Nakiya (Nyx) Bell (they/she), E Bowen, (she/they) and Em Marshall (they/them) stand ankle-deep in an inlet of the Ohio River at the tip of Virginia Point Park in Ceredo Kenova. Gazing out across the river that runs through Huntington, and much of Appalachia, solidifies our subjects’ place in the world. Photo: Isa McMullen/For 100 Days in Appalachia
Em Marshall kneels in shallow waters, hands clasped together in a pose of prayer. With a bow in their hair, the image is reminiscent of a child saying their nightly prayers. Photo: Isa McMullen/For 100 Days in Appalachia
Nakiya (Nyx) Bell lays with her body partially in the water, hands planted in front and making eye contact with the viewer in defiant contrast to their relaxed posture. Photo: Isa McMullen/For 100 Days in Appalachia
In profile Nakiya (Nyx) Bell is surrounded by a mountainous, classically Appalachian, backdrop with a halo of light coming from their skin. Photo: Isa McMullen/For 100 Days in Appalachia
E Bowen stands in the river with her arms raised to the sky and a look of pleading on her face, a posture of salvation. Photo: Isa McMullen/For 100 Days in Appalachia
Standing surrounded by foliage with light coming from behind them making the slip she wears sheer creating vulnerability. With their arm up and shoulders back, her confidence shines through, just like the light. Photo: Isa McMullen/For 100 Days in Appalachia
All three subjects are featured here in soft, hazy light. Em Marshall and Nakiya (Nyx) Bell kneel before E Bowen their hands on her torso as she reaches to the sky. This pose creates imagery reminiscent of the Holy Trinity. Photo: Isa McMullen/For 100 Days in Appalachia
Once again Nakiya (Nyx) Bell is surrounded by a haze on the river which runs along a deep forest. They hold their braided hair up which follows the lines of her arms and shoulders. Photo: Isa McMullen/For 100 Days in Appalachia
The subjects stand together looking off over the river which also runs behind them. All wearing light-colored feminine clothing they drastically contrast the brown of the background. Photo: Isa McMullen/For 100 Days in Appalachia
Nakiya (Nyx) Bell stands barefoot in the sand leaning against large rocks behind, very connected to the nature around them. Her skin glows and contrasts the white of her dress. Photo: Isa McMullen/For 100 Days in Appalachia
In the water, mist surrounds all three people who are intertwined in posture and eye contact, again reflecting the Holy Trinity and prayer. Photo: Isa McMullen/For 100 Days in Appalachia
With a spotlight on Nakiya (Nyx) Bell’s face and their eyes staring directly at the camera the other subjects fade into the background. Their faces are emotionless and look off-camera, which further isolates the center of the frame. Photo: Isa McMullen/For 100 Days in Appalachia
Laying in a field of grass lit only by a single light source casting onto Em Marshall as they look over their shoulder into the camera, they are completely alone in this space. They find power in isolation. Photo: Isa McMullen/For 100 Days in Appalachia
This article was originally published by 100 Days in Appalachia, a nonprofit, collaborative newsroom telling the complex stories of the region that deserve to be heard. Sign up for their weekly newsletter here.
