Martha Tadesse
Philadelphia, USA
ARTIST BIO
Martha Tadesse is a humanitarian photographer from Ethiopia. Since 2016, she has collaborated with various local and international non-profits, traveling extensively across Ethiopia and other African countries. Her work is driven by a deep commitment to social issues, with a strong focus on human rights and advocating for the rights of girls and women both in Ethiopia and beyond. Martha received the East African Photography Award in 2019, organized by Uganda Press Photo. Her ongoing project, Wonderfully Made, was shortlisted for the Marilyn Stafford Foto Reportage Award in 2024.
Currently, Martha is dedicated to her long-term passion project, which explores the intersections of faith, sexuality, and queer resistance within Ethiopia and the diaspora.
PROJECT STATEMENT
Wonderfully Made addresses the pervasive issues of homophobia and transphobia within the Ethiopian and Eritrean communities through showcasing queer resistance. My aim is to document the experiences and challenges faced by individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ within these communities in hopes to raise awareness by providing a platform for their stories to be heard and their experiences to be validated.
Within the Ethiopian and Eritrean communities, these challenges are intensified by cultural norms and religious beliefs that perpetuate stigma and prejudice. Increasing anti-gender laws and conservative religious influences have created a hostile environment through discrimination and violence while restricting the rights and freedoms of queer individuals. For too long, queer Ethiopian and Eritrean stories have been overshadowed by anti-gay activists and religious groups, steeped in discrimination and propaganda. Due to the deep-rooted patriarchal society, despite residing in the United States, many individuals within these communities continue to live in secrecy and isolation, disconnected from their own cultural roots due to fear of discrimination and lack of acceptance. The project aims to shed light on the detrimental effects of these movements on Ethiopian and Eritrean diaspora communities, advocating for greater awareness and acceptance of diverse gender and sexual identities. It is my hope that these stories are directly heard and felt, providing a space for queer individuals to share their experiences in their own voices. In essence, this project is a song of queer resistance.
