Life is not black and white. It’s not even really gray: it’s infinitely colorful. The idea of a strictly binary, black and white world is a human invention. Like the idea of species: nature knows no species. The bright line of division between two closely related species is a label of convenience, a tool of science, and does not reflect the subtle gradients through which life expresses itself. Think of language: at what point, on what date, did Middle English become Modern English? Was it a Wednesday? Say at around lunch time?

It’s odd, then, that most cultures accept the notion of inflexibly binary genders as a given. You get two checkboxes: male, or female. Reality is much more interesting, as it usually is.

"Dred" by Rebecca Swan

This is the reality that Kirsty MacDonald’s beautiful documentary Assume Nothing explores. With photographer Rebecca Swan’s book Assume Nothing as a catalyst, MacDonald set out to tell the stories of five artists whose art, and lives, challenge cultural preconceptions of gender. Combining techniques of drama, documentary, and animation, MacDonald has created a remarkable film that offers us an eye-opening view into the world we live in. A world most of us assumed we knew.