Photographer Documents Naples's Femminielli Community in New Visual Project

A new photography project by Roman Manfredi documents the lives of members of Naples's femminielli community, capturing intimate portraits of locals who live outside conventional binary gender expectations.

The term "femminielli" refers to a recognized social and cultural identity in Naples with roots extending back generations, traditionally associated with individuals assigned male at birth who adopt feminine gender expression and roles within their communities.

A long-standing local tradition

Manfredi's photographs, taken on the streets of Naples, aim to offer an intimate look at individuals connected to this tradition, highlighting both the visibility and the everyday experiences of femminielli within the city's social fabric.

The femminielli have historically occupied a distinct place in Neapolitan culture, at times associated with specific social and even ceremonial roles within local communities, setting the tradition apart from gender-nonconforming identities as they are more commonly discussed in other contexts.

The photo series situates this local tradition within broader contemporary conversations about gender identity and expression, while grounding it specifically in the particular history and culture of Naples rather than framing it through an external lens.

By focusing on individual portraits, the project emphasizes personal stories and everyday life rather than treating its subjects as representatives of a broader abstract category, aiming to convey the lived reality behind the tradition.

The images are presented as part of a photography feature exploring themes of identity, visibility and gender in a specific urban and cultural context.