Cork Independent: The Sexual Health Centre's PhotoVoice HIV to take place
An exhibition on Leeside next week aims to raise awareness about the reality of living with HIV through the medium of photography.
PhotoVoice HIV is being organised by the Sexual Health Centre in Cork and will shed a light on existing misinformation surrounding the topic of HIV and aims to challenge the stigma and discrimination related to it.
The centre is asking people to take a photo of what HIV means to them.
Chosen photographs will be digitally displayed on the back wall of the Cork Vision Centre in St Peters on North Main Street on 28 November at 5.30pm. A few lines about the photo and its meaning will be read out by staff from the Sexual Health Centre, too.
The exhibition will also coincide with the launch of a report by the centre.
Catherine Kennedy, Manager of the centre, told the Cork Independent: “PhotoVoice gives a voice to people who are often marginalised or who may feel they are unheard. You can take a photo of anything, the more abstract is better at times.
“The photo will come up and it will be narrated on the night. We will read out what the photo means to them. The report launch will allow people to get a realistic view of what it’s like when people receive a HIV diagnosis and the impact that stigma can have on a person. The photos will then back the report up in a positive and negative way. Everyone is welcome on the night and no one will be identified.”
Ms Kennedy said that rapid testing of HIV has been popular at the Cork centre with over 800 tests carried out last year.
She explained: “A repaid test is where you get the result in one minute. It vital that people get these test and that they become a part of their routine life. They are free and don’t take up much time.”
The photo display will be on show in St Peters until World Aids Day on 1 December. The centre will host a run on World Aids Day in Ballincollig Regional Park at 9.30am, where the photos are also due to be displayed.
