I Do, Still

I Do, Still

Marcy and Scottie Jeanette are a middle aged married couple living in a beautiful craftsman house in Los Angeles.  They describe their relationship as full of laughter and love. 

Despite a fourteen year age difference, Marcy married Scott in April, 1989. Having experienced two failed marriages, Marcy felt she had finally found her soulmate in Scott; someone romantic and attentive to her needs, someone with whom she laughed a lot and who made her feel safe. 

One morning twenty years into the marriage, Scott burst into tears. He confessed to Marcy that  he thought he was a woman. At first, Marcy thought Scott was going through a midlife crisis, but she soon realized her husband had been suffering all his life with gender dysphoria — he wasn’t able to maintain the façade any longer.  

According to a 2016 report, it is estimated that nearly 1.4 million adults in the U.S. are reported to be transgender. As the idea of transsexuality finds social acceptance, more transgender people are opting for gender affirmation surgery.  Of the 3,256 surgeries that have been reported in the United States, 54% were male-to-female. Of those numbers only a small percentage had a spouse by their side during the process.

Marcy began to educate herself in an effort to understand what her husband was experiencing. Scott — who now wanted to be called “Scottie Jeanette” — began seeing a therapist. Together they spent five years grappling with their secret in silence, telling no one what they were going through. As they embarked on a deep journey of discovery as a couple, life threw many more challenges their way — including a devastating turn of events they never saw coming .

This story deals with the complex array of emotions, values and cultural imprints Marcy and Scottie Jeanette were forced to confront as their marriage was put to the test. 

Are you going to renew your vows? - their friends asked . Our vows are doing pretty well - Marcy replied - but I wouldn’t mind doing an  - I Do, Still - celebration - she added. And so they did.

Through a series of 14 portraits paired with honest quotes from Marcy and Scottie Jeanette, we follow the two as they open up about the most intimate aspects of their relationship in transition.

Artist Statement

Having experienced a few close friends go through the process of coming out, I am aware of how uniquely individual that process can be. Adding that to the notion that there is a partner, someone else whose life and identity also transitions with them, is quite powerful. I wanted to show both of their perspectives intertwined. I wanted to allow all the colors to be present; the love, the struggles and doubts as well as the tender moments just as they shared them with me. 

I Do, Still - is a story that transcends the barriers of culture, gender, situation or circumstance -it’s a beautiful testament to the power of love.