Feminine energy
Feminine energy (2025-2026) is a completed project centered around Petra's life growing up in Cyprus as a young LGBTQIA+ individual, in a village where being gay was met with attempts to 'cure' it through religion.
Through this work I explore the struggle of defining one's identity within a deeply patriarchal and religious society, and Petra's journey towards finding acceptance and redemption within themselves.
transcript from recording 08/08/2025
When I was 8 years old, it was the first time I felt different. I thought I might be gay.
We were having dinner with my family, and I said something to my mum along the lines of:
"how would you react if I were gay?"
And she responded with:
"I hope God won't punish us like this."
It was different back then, and that was something I really internalised, and then I thought the solution to 'fix' this was to be part of the Church. I became obsessed with Church, I would go to Sunday school, I felt that I needed to compensate for my sins. I hadn't acknowledged yet that I was gay, but this was something that I was and not something I had to 'fix'. I thought going to Church would 'cure' me, but I also felt that was what my family wanted too.
I remember once, when I was 12 years old, I had a confession for the first time, and I said to the priest: "I think I am gay" and the priest said: "don't worry we will help you heal" as if being gay means I am sick or I'll burn in hell.
I think by that time I started realising how I felt and who I am, and that's when I really believed that I'll burn in hell,
that's what the bible taught us, you pay the price for your sins.
After that I met more people who felt the same in school, and that's when I started distancing myself from the Church and accepting more who I am. It felt like a redemption meeting people from a small village having the same feelings us me, and I no longer feel alone, and you know what it actually felt nice knowing that if we burn in hell at least we'll be together.
end of transcript
During my work on this project, l've come to know Petra in a more intimate way. They experienced identity struggles from a very young age, and although we grew up on the same island, my upbringing was shaped by different life experiences than theirs, with only one similarity: the strong patriarchal and religious values of our society, which ultimately led us both to immigrate to a foreign land.
When meeting Petra, one might expect that their joy and enthusiasm for life come from a place of happiness within themselves. Unfortunately, it is often the most broken people who appear smiling. It was deeply saddening to hear that even in today's society, in an open minded city like London, Petra had negative experiences with young men who were unable to accept that one's identity should not be defined by the Bible, an encyclopedia, or even by our DNA. In fact, what defines us is how we feel inside, free from political constraints and identity boxes. My identity is mine, and mine alone.