Apparently, what people have said is true: Timing is everything.
Back in 2015, Michael Bennett (then an amateur photographer) and his wife were at the Chicago Pride Parade—two days after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Obergefell decision that validated same-sex marriage as the law of the land—when he suddenly saw a sight.
A woman wearing a bra, orange shorts and rainbow, fringed leg warmers inserted herself in the midst of the Brotherhood Monument—a 1952 sculpture at Diversey Parkway and Sheridan Road that is dedicated to unity, tolerance, equality and peace—and pointed toward the sky. The moment made such an impression upon Bennett that he decided to preserve it.
“For whatever reason, she felt inspired to [stand there],” Bennett said. “People are standing all around—and they’re ignoring her. [I was] across the street with my wife with a long lens and I [said], ‘Wow, what was that?’ She had a moment that she chose to share with everybody. [Her feet are positioned] where it says ‘Peace and Unity.’”
Bennett wanted to make something perfectly clear—this photo captured an exact moment, with no Photoshop utilized (and this was taken years before AI became prominent). “I might have just added some clarity just to make sure that she was truly in focus and de-emphasized everything else,” he said. “These are techniques that I’ve been learning over the last few years since I’ve turned professional.”
The photo—which Bennett has called “iconic,” given the timing of the Supreme Court ruling—seems to be even more relevant today than in 2015. “Politically, I feel we’ve taken a turn backward in a lot of ways,” he said. “And [with] all of the social issues, [I wonder] why are we even talking about this. Why are we talking about allowing people to vote and rights for people? [We should give] people the best chances so that they can be their best selves.”
And what about the subject of the photo? Over the years, Bennett has tried various avenues in an attempt to identify the woman (including reaching out to Center on Halsted, the Human Rights Campaign and even a local lesbian film festival, although he does not know the subject’s sexual orientation or gender identity)—and part of the reason is commercial. “I shot this as an amateur and never considered that if I ever wanted to sell this commercially, I needed to get a model release,” he said. “We want it to be publicized because it is so iconic. I want to find her so that if she does sign a model release, we can come to some agreement and sell a gazillion T-shirts or something.”
But also, the subject of Bennett’s photo deserves to be publicly acknowledged as possibly being a part of history. “Whether someone is gay or straight or any variation thereof, people could appreciate what that image does in terms of being uplifting,” Bennett added. To contact Bennett about the photo, email him at michael@photosbybennett.com. Bennett’s professional website is here.