Assume Nothing by Rebecca Swan This book is a photographic exploration into the experience of gender across cultures, nations and generations. Photographer, Rebecca Swan, has photographed and interviewed 25 people around the world about their experience of gender. In doing so, she creates an intimate and poignant window into the world where the boundaries of male and female are challenged.The interview excerpts, where each person shares their own truth, illuminate the nuances of gender identity. Among the 25 participants, there is a range of age from 20 to 60 and they come from varied backgrounds and have diverse sexualities. All the stories are fascinating and inspiring. Despite the diversity of the people in the book, the common thread is that their experience of being differently gendered in the world has created strength, vision, acceptance and a generosity of spirit. They trusted the photographer, Swan, with such intimate details of their lives and they did so, so that others may not have to suffer the same sense of isolation. Swan?s aim for this project is to create understanding and acceptance in a world that can be hostile to difference. Swan points towards a quote from intersex activist Mani Bruce Mitchell, founder of the Intersex Society of NZ, at the end of Assume Nothing as embodying the essence of the work:This is the issue that we need to deal with in this century. What are we going to do with difference on this planet?not just gender differences, its all differences?