Alexis Love

The Use of Self-Portraiture in Art Therapy to Explore Gender Identity

Abstract

This qualitative research study proposes the use of self-portraiture as a method of exploring the gender identities of nonconforming individuals in the art therapy setting. The study also provides a brief background into gender-variant identities to recognize cultural considerations for the care of this population. A self-study was conducted by the researcher, who identifies within this population, to reflect on the efficacy of self-portraits as an art therapy task. The researcher created a self-portrait guided by a specific directive and analyzed how symbols of masculinity, femininity, and gender ambiguity that arose during the art making process related to their gender identity. The design of the task proposed by the researcher used a compassion-focus model that could apply to a broad range of individuals with various non-conforming identities. The ultimate objective of the task is not for the client to form any particular identity, but for the self-portrait to act as a vehicle for the client to view and communicate with their innermost authentic self.

Introduction

The dominant clinical and cultural views of gender-variance are rapidly changing (APA, 2013; Comer, 2018; WHO, 2020). With these shifting perspectives, it is important that clinicians, specifically art therapists, are aware of new conceptualizations of gender nonconformity and challenges currently facing the population so as to provide appropriate standards of care. Recent art therapy literature has emphasized the need for intersectional, compassion-based approaches to helping individuals understand and accept identities that society has historically considered unacceptable (Beaumont, 2012, Sherebrin, 1996, Talwar, 2010). This research addresses the therapeutic needs of the gender-variant population, how art therapy can be incorporated as a treatment modality, and cultural considerations that should be recognized to better serve this population. This study seeks to discuss the efficacy of self-portraiture as a means of exploring gender identity in the art therapy setting. The researcher is interested in how nonconforming individuals conceptualize and view themselves in relation to their gender.

Literature Review

The Literature Review discussed research regarding gender nonconformity. The research compared concepts of sex and gender in both traditional and queer theoretical frameworks. The historical implications of gender nonconformity, including the pathologization of gender-variant identities, were highlighted as outdated and detrimental to the treatment of nonconforming clients. A review of contemporary perspectives and treatment modalities emphasized the need for intersectional, compassion-oriented approaches to treatment. For current and future art therapists to advance theories and practices regarding issues of gender, new culturally-informed perspectives and skills must be developed to combat historically hegemonic ways of seeing others (Addison, 2003; Talwar, 2010).

Erikson (1975) wrote that the term identity connotes both a persistent self-sameness and a persistent need to mutually share character traits with others. Applying Erikson’s (1975) psychosocial theory of development to marginalized groups then raises the question of what happens when an individual’s authentic identity is rejected by the larger society. Historically throughout Western society, gender-variance has been linked with deviance, pathology, legal persecution, and social discrimination (Butler, 1990; Comer, 2018). Thus, identifying with a non-binary gender has often entailed feelings of shame, self-doubt, physical insecurity, isolation, as well as self-harm and suicidal ideations (APA, 2013; Anzani, 2019; Beaumont, 2012; Comer, 2018; Pulice-Farrow et al., 2019).

About the art therapeutic task of creating a self-portrait, McGann (2006) wrote that if the art is seen as a mirror of its creator, it leaves a tangible product that encompasses the emotional, psychic, and physical realms. Therein, self-portraiture can exhibit several aspects of an individual’s identity, including their self-concept, self-actualization, body image, and internal environment (Müri, 2007; Garai, 1975). With this, the therapist can assess the meaning that the clients give themselves (Müri, 2007). Furthermore, art therapist Patti Wallace (1997), argued that the task of looking at and rendering themself allows the client to become their own observer and nurturer. By exploring the outer and innermost parts of themselves through portraiture, individuals who otherwise feel rejected by society at large can begin to develop self-acceptance and fulfill their psychosocial need for a thorough sense of self (Müri, 2007; Erikson, 1975; Wallace, 1997).

Conclusion

The purpose of this paper was to discuss the use of self-portraiture to explore the identities of gender-nonconforming individuals in art therapy. The researcher conducted a self-study, in which they created a self-portrait following a specific directive. The directive was to create a self-portrait exploring gender identity guided by the questions: (1) How do you conceptualize your gender? (2) How do you view yourself in relation to your gender identity?

The researcher then discussed the creation of their self-portrait and analyzed how symbols of masculinity, femininity, and gender ambiguity that arose during the art making process related to their gender identity. Overall, the portrait revealed a narrative led by a figure representing the researcher’s identity, and provided a functional mechanism that accurately reflected and affirmed the researcher’s identity. A compassion-focused model was applied to the design of the proposed task so that it may include a broad range of individuals along the gender-spectrum in future research. The ultimate objective of the task is for the self-portrait to act as a vehicle through which clients can view and engage with their innermost authentic self. Future research would stand to benefit from working with more gender-diverse populations, as well as from investigating the use of a mirror during the art-making portion of the task.