I ME US exhibition in Tribe Carlisle entertains and discusses issues

The exhibition, titled 'I ME US', launched on Saturday, April 16, in Tribe, located in Bitts Park, Carlisle.

A collaborative effort between Free Radical Arts, Raw Art, Pride in North Cumbria, and Cumbria Youth Alliance, it contained art by trans and gender non-conforming people expressing the difficulties of facing prejudice and societal barriers.

The launch event saw a visit from the Mayor, Cllr Pam Birks, who was guided around the exhibition and gave her thoughts on the issues raised through it.

She said: "I think today was extremely thought-provoking, my interpretations were slightly different, but we all see something different, and maybe that shows us we shouldn't judge anything, we are all individuals."

Cllr Pam Birks exploring the exhibition

On the perceived struggles of not being cisgender in Carlisle and the county overall, which was a prevalent theme in the art, she said: "I think there's always been an issue with acceptance.

"If we go back to my childhood you used to get your hand tied behind your back if you were left-handed because you didn't conform.

"Hopefully we're progressing to where we realise we all come into the world one way and go out one way, it doesn't matter, we all deserve respect.

"When I was a nurse we used to get [intersex children] in paediatrics and parents were choosing for them at two or three years old what gender they should be and I was never comfortable with that, we have to decide that ourselves.

"The more discussions we have, hopefully, the more we can progress."

CJ Pitcher, a documentarian and photographer who studies Photography at the University of Cumbria presented their film piece containing interviews of non-cisgender people in Carlisle and said: "My idea was for members of this community laws and politics are being made for us by people who don't see or involve us, so my idea was to put a face to a community that has less representation than it should.

On their experience living in Carlisle as a gender non-conforming person, they said: "I wish I could sit here and say it's entirely positive, but it isn't, but events like this - having the support of different people in this community - it is on the right track, but we have a long way to go."

To learn more about their work, click here.

The night was positive for the people taking part, especially for artist Molly Hughes, who studies Fine Art in Carlisle, whose tapestry illustrating gender fluidity was requested for purchase.

Molly Hughes with their tapestry

While no price has been confirmed as of yet, they said it would at least be worth over £100.

To learn more about their work, click here.