Fearless
a photography project by Jeff Sheng
“Fearless” is the name of the photography series I started almost 5 years ago about “out” high school and collegiate athletes who openly self-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.
Since 2003, I’ve photographed almost 60 athletes across the United States. In 2006, I began exhibiting the project at various high schools and colleges as part of what I named, “Fearless Campus Tour.” So far, the project has been seen at over twenty five campuses around the country.
The project is still ongoing (my goal is over 100 athletes before it will be published into a photobook next year) so please contact me at jeffsheng@ jeffsheng (dot)com, if you are an athlete on a high school or college sports team that wishes to be photographed for “Fearless,” or would like more information about the project.
-- Jeff Sheng
Quick notes from Jeff, Aug 3, 2008:
A few quick things: I added some new pictures to the “Fearless Portfolio” that I took over the last few months. I held off on updating some of the pictures on this site so that the Advocate Magazine could run them first, and I’m very happy to say that the photo spread and article is finally out so please check out that issue on newsstands this week.
I also wanted to say GREAT JOB to the producers and editors at ABC World News with Charles Gibson for their excellent work on my interview about “Fearless” that aired on their webcast in June. I finally got a clip of it onto my FearlessCampusTour YouTube account and you can see the piece below:
Please feel free to add me on Facebook and MySpace. On Facebook, just search for my name “Jeff Sheng” and I am listed under the school/network Harvard University, and on MySpace, just do a search under my e-mail address jeffsheng@jeffsheng(dot)com or my full name and I’m the Jeff Sheng in Los Angeles.
The goals of “Fearless” and FearlessCampusTour.org include:
- To use photography and the visual medium to effectively educate the public and eliminate prejudice and discrimination
- To increase acceptance for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer youth in high schools and colleges
- To decrease homophobia in athletics
- To give LGBTQ youth an online resource for support, particularly at risk youth who feel isolated from their peers
- To help educators, administrators and coaches meet the needs of LGBTQ youth in their schools, teams and communities
Hopefully this site is a valuable resource for gay athletes, coaches, allies of the lesbian, gay and transgender community, and anyone involved with sports and LGBT issues.
