Peyton Fulford

"Tenderness is the personal project that helped launch my career," says Peyton. "When I began it back in 2016, 'Blue Is the Warmest Color,' a queer coming-of-age love story, was one of my favorite films. The title is a line in the movie: 'I have infinite tenderness for you. I always will.' 

The American South, also known as the Bible Belt, is not an inherently inclusive region for those who present queer. I grew up in a religious household—my mother was raised in the Sanctified Holy Church, and my father was raised Southern Baptist. As a result of the beliefs I had been taught since birth, I did not feel comfortable coming out as queer until I was 21 years old. This photo series came to fruition around the same time, so I publicly came out when I started sharing this project online. I consider the moments between the individuals in these photographs a lasting documentation. We'll change and our bodies will change, but we'll have these images for a long time."