Have you heard about ‘Divine Defiance’ by artist Barry Brandon, known online as @thequeerindigo. This work features 30 unapologetically queer images that serve as a direct and intentional challenge to religious dogma, aiming to address the significant religious trauma inflicted upon the LGBTQ+ community by religious institutions. The project features 12 queer men photographed in striking portraits that provocatively blend traditional Catholic iconography with elements of queer raiment and style.
Brandon’s goal is to confront the “culture of fear” and sense of existential dread that organized religion often instills around queer identity. By merging sacred and queer elements, ‘Divine Defiance’ is an act of rebellion intended to assert the self-autonomy of the LGBTQ+ community and their right to exist without persecution. A core component of the project is its commentary on hypocrisy. Brandon explicitly drew inspiration from Rome’s commercially accepted, yet heteronormative, “Hot Priest Calendar.”
He uses this comparison to question the societal double standard where sexualized imagery of straight religious figures is largely accepted without scrutiny, while queer religious symbolism is met with condemnation. He seeks to shift the conversation and redirect that scrutiny back onto the religious institutions themselves. Brandon anticipates backlash but says that he doesn’t mind being the “punching bag” if it facilitates a deeper, more comprehensive dialogue. He expresses a powerful critique of religion’s historical atrocities—such as wars, murder, and violence—committed in its name. ‘Divine Defiance’ uses provocative artistry as a disruptive force to question religious power and enable reflection and healing from religious trauma.
