Submissive
For many transmasculine people, athletic spaces carry history — not all of it simple or gentle.
Gyms, locker rooms, and team sports are often some of the places where gender policing shows up in the early years. Where bodies are watched, sorted, questioned. Where joy in movement can turn into anxiety or exclusion. For trans people, and especially trans people of color, these spaces can feel like something you’re constantly negotiating rather than fully inhabiting.
This photoshoot began with an idea Miles Quezada (They/He) had;
"I saw this retro picture of cis white gay men in a locker room and thought, what if we recreate that?"
What if transmascs aren’t an afterthought in these spaces? Nova Edge Threads sponsored a creative photo project that reimagines athletic environments as places of belonging, softness, strength, and connection for transmasculine people of the global majority. Titled Submissive, the shoot brought together up-and-coming NYC trans creatives in a queer-owned Brooklyn gym, transforming the space into something affirming and communal.
What unfolded became much more than a photoshoot.
Creating What We Rarely Get to See
The project was produced by Miles Quezada (they/he) and photographed by Olivia Liv Morgan (she/they). Both also creative directors of the photoshoot. The vision was rooted in contrast: athleticism and intimacy, masculinity and softness, desire and care.
As a transmasculine person, Miles spoke openly about how entering athletic spaces can place an unwanted spotlight on your body — a feeling many of the models deeply understood. This shoot pushed back against that narrative, offering a new one: transmasculinity as expansive, confident, and self-defined.
We knew the vision was everything and wanted to contribute. Brand owner Dae-Yeong Lalonde (they/them) shares how the brand's Gender Expansive Pride Collection is filled with designs inspired by the NYC-LA transmasc community.
More Than a Set — A Gathering
From the moment people arrived, the energy shifted.
Model Ro Nolasco (they/them) described entering a space made up entirely of trans people of color as feeling like home — immediate, grounding, and deeply affirming. Though many of the participants had crossed paths before, the shoot allowed them to deepen their connections in a way that felt rare. Conversations flows about testosterone, blockers, navigating healthcare systems, and sharing resources. Connections made online were evolving to community quite instantly. Others swapped gender affirming bodybuilding tips, medical advice, and stories from different points in their transitions.
“It felt like brotherhood,” Miles shared.
Reclaiming Boyhood, Redefining Masculinity
The images themselves tell a powerful story.
Set against a retro ’80s–’90s gym aesthetic, the shoot captures transmasculine people exploring strength, touch, sweat, and closeness without being reduced to spectacle. The work is intimate but never exploitative — erotic without being objectifying. It's grounded in connection and care.
Model Avery Vishal (he/him) shared that he felt visible for the first time and connected in such a powerfully unique way with strangers who somehow already knew him.
“We may not all know each other,” he said, “but we know each other.”
He shared that he felt included and confident to be true to himself.
For Ash Lee (he/they), being part of the shoot filled a gap they rarely see online: representation of transmasc nonbinary Koreans. Ash felt fully seen — wearing short shorts, changing openly, existing without explanation. Their transness and feminine masculinity celebrated.
“It felt so comfortable- fun- and joyful” they said. “to simply exist in a community and space that just gets it.”
The project reflects a broader truth: transmasculinity is not one thing. It is intellectual, athletic, soft, strong, fluid, playful, disciplined, erotic, and deeply human.
Why This Moment Matters
This shoot took place during a time of relentless attacks on trans people — particularly in sports. Legislation, media narratives, and public discourse continue to question whether trans people belong in athletic spaces at all.
Creating a project that not only places transmasculine people in a gym, but centers them with care and joy, felt deeply intentional. Photographer Liv Morgan shared how rare it is to witness that level of authenticity in a shoot.
“When everyone’s identity is honored,” they said, “people show up with an authenticity you can feel in the room."
Ro spoke of a particularly impactful memory they will carry with them-
"The memory of all of us sitting at the pizza place after the shoot", they said. "Talking about testosterone, our personal journeys and goals, and just about life in general, will be sticking with me for a while."
The shoot became proof of something we already know: representation isn’t just about images — it’s about access, safety, and being held in community.
How Nova Edge Threads Supports
For Dae-Yeong Lalonde (they/them), founder of Nova Edge Threads, supporting this project was an easy yes. Miles connected the community to make this project possible. He shared his vision and offered to model some products at the shoot. The shoot aligned perfectly with what Nova Edge Threads stands for: creating space, redistributing resources, and honoring queer & trans creativity without extracting from it.
This wasn’t about branding.
It was about Networked Community.
This project reminds us that when society tries to erase us, we show up— for one another — with one another. It's through creating for ourselves and making space where it doesn't exist yet.
The T Boy Photoshoot wasn’t just a creative project.
It's a glimpse of what’s possible when we build together.
The Talent
PRODUCER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR:
Miles Quezada (They/He) @amillymiles
CREATIVE DIRECTOR & PHOTOGRAPHER:
Olivia LIT LIV Morgan @LIT_LIV_1
PHOTO TEAM:
Lighting Tech: Mak Beckles @fathermakkkk
Photo Assistant: Persha Finch @persha.finch
Stylist: Jessica (Jess) Van Winkle @jessicavwinkle
MODELS:
Ro (They/He) @onlycaroli
Miguel (He/They) @buildaboymig
Adair (He/Him) @itsadair
Avery (He/Him) @averyysupremacy
Ash Lee (He/They) @eatmyashlee
Miles Quezada (They/He) @amillymiles
GYM: OUT BOX GYM @outboxnyc
