I started the Hearts of the World project in 2010, it’s an ongoing project that I plan to take to the corners of the earth. After painting many stylized anatomical hearts myself I wanted to see what was in the hearts of others. I want to do this project with as many different kinds of people as possible, with people from diverse and unfamiliar cultures, people of all ages and all kinds, with a special focus on children.

Today I had the opportunity to host a Hearts of the World workshop with a transgendered group from Housing Works in New York City. Housing Works is a healing community of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS.

Transgendered, by definition, refers to people who do not identify their gender as the one they were physically born with.

This workshop, as all of them, was entirely unique. I went in not knowing at all what to expect. This group had surely experienced unimaginable struggle. They were not only people dealing with the complexities of being transgendered but also have to deal with having HIV/AIDS. The group as a whole was very skeptical about me at first and asked many questions about the project and why I was there with them. Many did not want their photos taken or their names mentioned. They seemed to be afraid that I was going to use their hearts and image against them or in a way to ridicule them as they are so often used to. When I explained that the purpose of Hearts of the World is to promote unity and understanding between all people they were able to relax and enjoy painting.

By talking to them throughout the process and listening to their interviews I learned more about their struggle. I learned that many of them take high doses of hormones to try to achieve the gender attributes they desire and in result often become sick. Many have had complicated surgical procedures, many have experienced being fired from their work when their boss or co-workers found out they were transgendered, many are estranged from family and friends, all have gone through strong feelings of confusion. They have endured an immeasurable amount of ridicule and often experience personal threats of violence. In general, they are widely misunderstood.

From what I perceive, transgendered people just wanted to be seen by others as they have always seen themselves. From a young age most of them knew right away that they were born into a body that didn’t look the way they felt. Daisy, a witty, outspoken and hilarious transgendered woman who was born male said that as a little boy she used to have dreams about a tall, tan, blond woman and desired so much to be her. The dreams recurred for years and she finally confided in a teacher about them. The teacher sent her to the school therapist. The therapist, upon hearing about Daisy’s dreams and desires labeled her with a mental disorder. I could feel the pain in her voice as she told the story, opening her heart to me and the crew.

What is in the hearts of the transgendered?

Love, pain, peace, confusion, God, family, energy, blood, glitter, polka dots, activism, education, unity…

The fundamental feelings we all share are human and universal. We can be united in this. I hope that this project, by showing what is inside the hearts of the world, can teach people that even in our differences we share so many similarities. I hope this understanding can help people move beyond stigmas and prejudice to relate to and have compassion for people of all kinds.

Daisy with her heart heart full of love, pain and two big smooches