I’ve long struggled with how my bust shaped the way I was perceived - especially in relationships. From the passing remarks of elementary school boys to the objectifying comments of crushes, I lost faith that I could ever be seen beyond my chest. For a time, it felt like without it, I wouldn’t be lovable.

While my relationship with my body is still evolving, I’ve come to realize that my sexuality and femininity don’t reside in any one feature. They live deeper - not in my skin, but in the parts of me that can’t be touched or reduced.

In this piece, a posed self-portrait shows my ribcage exposed, my breasts faded away. From within the skeleton, peonies bloom - a symbol of love, femininity, and honor - sprouting from the very place I once felt defined by. This work is a reclamation of femininity, self, and the freedom to be more than what’s seen.

Published in St. Edward’s University’s 2025 Sorin Oak Review Volume 35.