influence on me. I didn’t want to hurt them. But last year I had this psychotic episode. I had decided to go off medication (I’m bipolar) and I ended up becoming really manic, thinking I was a prophet. It was bad. That experience made me realize I needed to focus on being honest with myself, and that’s when I started really identifying as a lesbian. My interest in self-portraiture now, through these prints and sculpture, all come back to that – asserting my identity.” © Carolyn Drake | Magnum Photos

o happy. I mean I feel very blessed, but especially after this election year I see how many people in this country are, you know. Being out as a gay couple in this community, that would be different, harder. I just met someone 12 miles away who was so in the closet, and we hit it off, but I said look, I’m totally out, and he couldn’t handle that, he’s still very much in the closet, so it’s tricky." © Carolyn Drake | Magnum Photos

ue and that really allows me to express my sexuality in a way I don’t in my private life. Being asexual pan romantic, meaning I’m not having sex, I’m not drawn to physical interaction, but I can fall in love with anyone... I don’t actually perform burlesque, I do “kittening” which means I’m the stage hand and I get to flirt with the audience in my own way while I’m out there working. I love to tease... I’m open to loving all genders, that's what pan romantic means. I really like to express my sexuality with my friends, but they get annoyed with my empty teases. Burlesque is my way to be myself, but also someone else." © Carolyn Drake | Magnum Photos

e sure I went through Hormone Replacement Therapy when I was ready. It would take years, the same amount of time a young person goes through puberty. She wanted to make sure I didn’t get the hormones elsewhere. (You can buy anything on Amazon. I can buy a Barbie on Amazon, and I can buy hormones on Amazon.) So I’m holding out until the government says that HRT is covered by public health care, because I can’t do this on $700 a month, you know? It’s why my voice is still this way.” © Carolyn Drake | Magnum Photos

munity really. We’re not political, we’re horse people. We could talk about horses all day... Maybe its because we’re older, we’ve figured ourselves out... I know some people get married because they want the same rights as everyone else, but for us its just we want the legal protection, the ability to turn off the ventilator and things like that... [our relationship] started as massage, but then I asked if Diane wanted to come over and check out my house, and that was it. I mean, she came over with a younger woman and I was like, what? But it didn't matter. Now we’ve been together 20 years." © Carolyn Drake | Magnum Photos

nfluence on me. I didn’t want to hurt them. But last year I had this psychotic episode. I had decided to go off medication, I’m bipolar, and I ended up becoming really manic, thinking I was a prophet, it was bad. That experience made me realize I needed to focus on being honest with myself, and that’s when I started really identifying as a lesbian. My interest in self-portraiture now, through these prints and sculpture, all come back to that, asserting my identity.” © Carolyn Drake | Magnum Photos