Emperor's Gay-sha (Empress, Part II)

As Iggy Pop once said, 
"I'm not ashamed to dress "like a woman"
because I don't think it's shameful to be a woman." 

We are not defined by what we wear; a man in a dress does not 
take the power away from him, it does not dehumanise him. 
This shoot is dedicated to the people out there that does not 
conform to what society wants you to be, you blur the colour 
of black and white, you read between the lines and fill in the 
blanks. I salute you. 

You are an Empress ;D

Empress

" I have long lived with the inherent fear that my effeminate side

will stand in the way of breaking my barriers; norms set by society.

I have long lived with the idea that one should be ashamed of your effeminate

side and not show it at all. 

I have soon learned that being effeminate does not equate to being weak, 

and I have taught myself to stand up to even my toughest bullies; myself. 

I have since took it on as a personal goal to bend and break gender norms

at every turn, to create a world where I am comfortable with my own sexuality, 

despite what society thinks or says."

- Franco Mostert 25 October 2014

This is part of the internal monologue I had with myself while I was having 

the photoshoot. It is amazing how such a realisation can free you from restraints

you built yourself so you cannot get hurt, and in the process making yourself a prisoner

of unwanted and unneeded negativity. 

Therefor, it is only fitting that this shoot be called Empress. As the shoot went on, and

this internal monologue kept on, I grew stronger in my determination to shed all that negativity, 

let my true potential flourish and not be defined by what society sets as the norm. Slowly but surely, I am turning my pain into poetry. And to think, this shoot almost did not happen. 

I give you, Empress:

DK - Dorian Kyle Is Bringin' It!

Coming Undone, Part II, Finding All The Pieces

Part in reason I felt I needed to post the rest of this shoot before I 

move onto any other shoots, was exactly that. I needed to finalize

that chapter in my life. I needed to learn from it, take what that lesson, 

grow from it and close that chapter. I do not ever want to revisit the

feelings I felt. the pain, the helplessness of the experience, although I

am forever grateful for having experienced it. 

I have absolutely no regrets in my life. And that is due to the fact that

I believe I would be where I am and who I am today had it not been for

where I had been. I am incredibly grateful for my past, as it allows me to

see my future a little brighter. 

"Similar to what J.K Rowling had went through, I had to hit rock solid bottom before I could rebuild my life. Perhaps the hardest, but most fruitful situation I have ever endured. I crashed, and had trouble picking up all my little pieces, but gluing together everything again bit by bit, everything is falling in place the way I needed/wanted it to be." 

- Franco Mostert, 5 October 2014

Here is part II, 'Finding All The Pieces'

(I Had) Come Undone

I was going through a very difficult period in my life emotionally since I last

posted a shoot, and I needed something to reflect that, instead of masking it. 

Ironically so, this shoot features aesthetics that I put on, but I did however come

undone and I needed that release. 

I am an optimist at heart; instead of letting it out, I would usually 

shrug it off . But I could not let it simmer inside anymore, 

so the process was exceptionally cleansing for me.