“Photographer Ryan James Caruthers’ self-portrait of himself in a wrestling uniform is a stark departure from that norm. His shape is long and skinny, pale and delicate. His eyes are shut, his arms raised, his face resting somewhere between exhaustion and ecstasy. Blood drips from his nostril like a violent omen. In this striking photograph, Caruthers’ expression resembles that of St. Theresa more than the traditional classical Greek sculptures used to embody athletic masculinity. ”

Queer Photographer Revisits Traumatic High School Sports Tryouts In Stunning Series