Monthly Statement:
June 2006

Prospect Park 6/10/06
Yes 43
No 60
Ignored 30

Brooklyn Bridge 06/18/06
Yes 49
No 51
Ignored 93

5th Avenue Pride Parade
Yes 70
No 30
Ignored 46

Coney Island 07/01/06
Yes 43
No 48
Ignored 62

June, known to a handful also as Pride month, was a delight. Weather, unlike my still questionably perfect body, was unquestionably beautiful; I also had the pleasure of picking some interesting, fun and wonderful places. However, something unsettling was made painfully clear to me this month: pervasive homophobia. I received predominantly negative responses from most men, who would say they were unable to answer my question because they were not women. I had not noticed or even thought to take notice of this in previous months. In these situations, I was often told to direct my question to the nearest “woman," who if wrapped around my original addressee would be handed over to me for a perfection interrogation. If there was no lady present to push towards my inquiry, I would be told – rather than ask a woman the question – not to ask them at all, because they were not gay. Now, each time this happened, I would wonder what the success rate would be for a gay man to find a date by asking “'Yes' or 'No,' do you think I have a perfect body?,” with American Apparel shorts at waist with notebook in hand. Moot point to interject, since I wanted to know the opinion of this person, not to entertain my photographer with my witty musings. When I would take argument from these more homophobic gentlemen, I would quickly find that I was getting to none of the points my project set out to meet met, and I would nod along until the next lady walked by whose opinion I didn’t have yet and pursue her with a yes or no question. More facets to this project than I had intended, but most of these surprises have been to my enjoyment. Two months of surprises remain.

Process: On the streets and in a variety of public places I will approach people asking them the question, "Do I have a Perfect Body?"