Monster: one who deviates from normal or acceptable behavior or character (Merriam-Webster). Black, queer, disabled, neurodivergent…these labels have made me the ‘other’ and thus a ‘monster’ my whole life. Inspired by the myth of the Werehyena (originating from the Horn of Africa) this concept asks why people are othered in the first place by asking the question, “what about me makes you uncomfortable?”
Why is our idea of who fits into the category of human is so narrow. What is the requirement for othering? What is different? What is normal? Why do people that are deemed different, people that look different from us, people that are disabled, and people that don’t fit into the majority have their humanity taken away from them?
I am honoured that this was part of the Ancient Civilizations and Futuristic Visions Exhibit on Google Arts and Culture curated by Umazi Mvurya
Go check it out: https://artsandculture.google.com/story/0AUR0FNcyROHyg
