How family photos could help prevent the spread of STIs

P.E.I.'s PEERS Alliance is sponsoring a queer family photo session on Sunday as part of its core mission to reduce the spread of STIs and blood-borne diseases.

The idea is to create an improved sense of community in P.E.I.'s queer population. Executive director Cybelle Rieber said allowing people to say who their family is, without questioning or judgement, is part of that.

"It's really about how people define their own family, whether it's biological or chosen family," said Rieber.

"We know in the queer community that there are many different iterations of what family can be."

Members of the queer community can sometimes find themselves cut off from all or part of their biological family, she said, or face awkward questions or judgement about same-sex partnerships or gender identity.

Family photos, she said, are a step in helping people take pride in those they are closest too and rely on the most.

"This is an opportunity for people who may not have considered themselves family photo-able," said Rieber.

"We hope that people feel proud and put these pictures on their walls."

Building resilience

That pride can have a direct positive impact on health.

Discrimination, stigma and exclusion directly correlates to levels of anxiety and depression, said Rieber, and anxiety and depression can sometimes lead to coping mechanisms that may include drug use, multiple sexual partners, and other activities that can lead to sexually-transmitted or blood-borne diseases.

People who feel they are part of a family are less likely to suffer from those problems.

"[It's] about building resiliency among populations," said Rieber.

"Acknowledging and accepting family, celebrating queer family, is about building resilience."

The PEERS Alliance still has some places left in its queer family photo session. The session is Sunday at Film PEI (57 Watts Ave) and ispay what you can. Proceeds go to the alliance as a fundraiser.

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With files from Island Morning