colored pencil, marker, ink; 16×20”
“In my piece I showed a person staring fearfully ahead of themselves with a crumbling mask covering their face and neck with bathroom tiles in the background. The fear in their face is meant to represent the fear I and many other transgender people face while using either restroom. The fear that if we do not cover up the fact that we are trans, others will judge or harm us. Even being able to use the restroom that aligns with our identities, we still have to face the fact that some people do not agree with our existence. I am transgender and often feel this sort of discomfort and frustration for myself, but it has been nice to know that others go through and feel the same as me. I take comfort in my community and other likeminded people.”
ARTIST BIO: Toby Miller is a Grade 11 student at Butler Tech School of Art (SOA).