Lou Sheppard, A Strong Desire (diptych), 2018

A Strong Desire is a translation of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) diagnostic criteria for gender dysphoria into a dance. The DSM text represents a psychiatric diagnosis that allows access to trans health care like hormone therapy and surgery. It also represents the medicalization of Trans identity, acting as a barometer against which Trans experience is judged. Starting from the text Lou found the shapes and lines of Labanotation, a choreographic notation system, in the spaces between each word. These shapes were then scored and read, resulting in a set of movement directions. Leelee then took these directions and translated them into dance.