These images are the record of an exercise in reconciliation with fear.

In late 2023, my partner and I were assaulted in a violent homophobic attack by a group of young men in my hometown of Kathmandu.

In the following weeks, I developed a strong fear of men.

The pain I bore from an isolated incident had led my brain to make a sweeping misdirection in blame, developing an anxiety that perceived an external danger from a group that collectively had nothing to do with the individuals that assaulted me.

I want to resolve this conflict, to once again find comfort and joy in my relationships with men in this city that I love.

When I look at the men in my photographs, I see in them the faces and bodies of the men that hurt me, and in their faces and bodies I begin to also see myself.