Noah M.

“This project has allowed me to see who I am beyond my physical form — who I am when I’m not weighed down, physically and mentally.

Looking at the photos, my joy is what stands out to me the most. I find myself wondering why that is. I can only assume it’s because my joy is something Mads sees when they look at me through the lens. A photograph can’t create something that isn’t true.

When I look at these images, I see the Noah my friends see, the Noah my brother sees, the Noah my mentors see — someone undeniably real, and genuinely joyful. Seeing myself this way challenges how I’ve learned to see myself.

This reflection has given me the strength to keep fighting for a better, more loving world. I know it aligns with my top surgery — I simply wouldn’t have the strength for what comes next without it.

I lift up my shirt, just to make sure.
Yep — still flat.
I breathe a sigh of relief.”