About the artist: 

METH Monthary (he/they, 28y) identifies himself as a homo nonbinary. He is currently working freelance in documentary photography, graphic designing, field research, and videography. Besides all the jobs, he is also an LGBTIQ+ activist based in Cambodia and affiliated with other LGBTIQ+ networks in Southeast Asian countries. Seeing the matter of gender expression has been less emphasized, his main focus in nowadays LGBTIQ+ activism is to be a part addressing the oppression of gender expression that LGBTIQ+ face every day. 

Gender Expression Portrait: A portrait photography project depicting the stigmatized and oppressive experience of cis-gender women and men, and especially the LGBTIQ+ community regarding their gender expression.

“Through this portrait photography on gender expression, I aim to invite gender advocates and the public to take a deeper look into gender-based violence on how restrictive gender roles and norms cause stigma and oppression on gender expression of cis-gender women and men, and especially the LGBTIQ+ community. Restrictive gender norms when it comes to expression influence how we are being accepted or not. There remains to be social codes when it comes to gender expression. I hope these portraits of gender expression will increase disclosure on the matter of gender expression either for LGBTIQ+ or cis-gender women and men.”

Below are some of the productions created by Meth Monthary for the Winning Art Exhibition during the Dignity Cambodia 2023.