we: Perpetua Mobilia

we: Perpetua Mobilia:

CONCEPT [partially]: This work is part of the research I did about the view on gender variance and non-heterosexuality within a variety of different cultures and beliefs. The illustration is based on the continuation on this research in the old Native American tribe called the Shoshone tribe. What could we learn, with respect for this tribe, from their point of view on gender and sexuality in our Euro-American society? In the Euro-American society we still see gender as something we look and dress like, not as how we actually feel from the inside. When we are born we get placed in one of the two groups based on genitals not on behavior, interests or feelings. It seems as if the people who don’t fit in the normative have a variety of choices to actually identify themselves. It feels like a solution to the problem for many, but making more fixed terms doesn’t make freedom for all. By using another word to describe yourself you are automatically placed into a box of behavior: There are certain rules and feelings you have to have to fit into this one too. The right of existence, and in this case to differ from others, is decided once again by others with a fixed term. There are several Native American tribes that had the belief system that there were people who were born with both the female and male spirit in their bodies: Two Spirited Natives. They believed that these Two Spirited people were the bridge between the male and female Native people. They mostly had a huge spiritual connection and/or with special medical and social powers: Artists, medics and spiritual leaders. With these special powers, they tried to inspire the people around them to have a more open-minded view towards others, nature and the world. In the Shoshone tribe the only normative that you have was you being a human being and the contribution you delivered to your surroundings, environment & yourself [...].

For the online safety of my illustrations I use a watermark. The official artwork has no watermark on it.