2019 Perry Competition Sommer

2019 Perry Photo Challenge Sabrina Sommer, Grand Prize Winner

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Identity

Since the proposal of new Title IX revisions, transgender and non-binary students face erasure of their identity. In response, much like with DACA, multiple Big 10 colleges have issued statements supporting their trans/non-binary students, except for Nebraska. This along with the failed attempt to end LGBTQ job discrimination with Legislative Bill 627 makes living in Nebraska with an open identity increasingly difficult.

  • Blurred man standing in bathroom
    Anonymous stands at the Temple Building 3rd floor men’s bathroom. “For me personally, it’s just my business. If it concerns anybody, it doesn’t need to,” Anonymous said. Anonymous is trans-male. Photo by Sabrina Sommer / Sophomore / Advertising & Public Relations and Graphic Design major

  • Anonymous man sits in bathroom
    Anonymous sits in the Temple Building 3rd floor men’s bathroom. “Being in the arts makes it a much more friendly environment,” Anonymous said. Anonymous is studying in the Hixon-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts. Photo by Sabrina Sommer / Sophomore / Advertising & Public Relations and Graphic Design major
  • Anonymous man opens locker door
    Anonymous opens his locker in the Temple Building 3rd floor men’s bathroom. “I admire people who say ‘this is who I am’ and post it on social media; I’ve never been that type of person,” Anonymous said. Photo by Sabrina Sommer / Sophomore / Advertising & Public Relations and Graphic Design major
  • Maya Pierce sits in bathroom
    Maya Pierce glances at them self in the Andersen Hall basement women’s bathroom. “There’s just not really much of a representation in the school,” Pierce said. Pierce is non-binary. Photo by Sabrina Sommer / Sophomore / Advertising & Public Relations and Graphic Design major
  • Maya pierce sits in bathroom
    Maya Pierce sits in the Andersen Hall basement women’s bathroom. “On campus it’s been a fairly negative experience; there’s not really a place where you feel like you belong,” Pierce said. Pierce came out as non-binary in September. Photo by Sabrina Sommer / Sophomore / Advertising & Public Relations and Graphic Design major
  • Maya Pierce sits in bathroom
    Maya Pierce sits in the Andersen Hall 2nd floor men’s bathroom. “Things aren’t really talked about here. My identity has had to take a backseat to what I want to do,” Pierce said. Pierce is junior film and new media student.Photo by Sabrina Sommer / Sophomore / Advertising & Public Relations and Graphic Design major
  • Liv Hines stands in bathroom
    Liv Hines stands in the Love Library 4th floor men’s bathroom. “For the most part I feel like most people kind of ignore it on campus; it seems like a Nebraska thing to do,” Hines said. Hines is non-binary. Photo by Sabrina Sommer / Sophomore / Advertising & Public Relations and Graphic Design major
  • Liv Hines sits in bathroom
    Liv Hines sits on the urinals of the Love Library 4th floor men’s bathroom. “Trans-people are also people; we just want to pee somewhere and have people use our correct pronouns. That’s about it,” Hines said. Hines is studying fine art- sculpture. Photo by Sabrina Sommer / Sophomore / Advertising & Public Relations and Graphic Design major
  • Liv Hines sits in batroom
    Liv Hines sits in the Love Library 4th floor men’s bathroom. “Being gender non-conforming isn’t a trendy thing. It’s not for attention. It’s just the way that I am and live,” Hines said. Hines is a sophomore from Lincoln, Nebraska. Photo by Sabrina Sommer / Sophomore / Advertising & Public Relations and Graphic Design major
  • Scout Hughes stands in bathroom
    Scout Hughes stands in the Nebraska Union Unisex bathroom. “The queer community here has helped me form a lot of friendships and connection, which I didn’t expect because of the climate here,” Hughes said. Hughes is trans-male. Photo by Sabrina Sommer / Sophomore / Advertising & Public Relations and Graphic Design major
  • Scout Hughes looks in mirror
    Scout Hughes looks at himself in the Nebraska Union Unisex bathroom. “UNL needs to improve open support from faculty and higher administration. [Chancellor] Ronnie Green met with other trans students talking about the current administration. He said he would make a statement about it at the Union address and he didn’t,” Hughes said. Hughes is a came out as trans when he was 16. Photo by Sabrina Sommer / Sophomore / Advertising & Public Relations and Graphic Design major
  • Scout Hughes fixes hair
    Scout Hughes fixes his hair in the Nebraska Union Unisex bathroom. “The hammer and sickle to me shows that activism is intersectional. It reminds me that it starts at the root, and if I am actively advocating for my group of people, it’s advocating for everyone,” Hughes said. Hughes is a French major.Photo by Sabrina Sommer / Sophomore / Advertising & Public Relations and Graphic Design major