Photovoice: Looking Out/Looking In: Women, Poverty and Public Policy

http://www.pwhce.ca/photovoice/saskatoon_intro.html

Being in Poverty Hurts!
Genevieve Jones*, 2006

The pain and stress affect all areas of one’s life. It is often acted out in destructive ways including: inability to trust and build support—friends or community programs, etc.—through addictions, child abuse of all kinds, and/or spouse abuse.

A Photovoice Project
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
2006

It’s Like You’re Handicapped
Elaine Gamble, 2006

This is a picture of my daughter’s prosthetic limb. It helps her overcome her limitations. When you’re living in poverty it is like you are handicapped because there are so many restrictions, so many limitations.

Someone can go in the store and buy a magazine or a shirt that they need for their kid. They can go ahead and buy it, but you can’t, because you have to think about other things. You have to think, ‘Well, if I buy that, then I can’t pay my phone bill. If I buy that, then I can’t get this for my kid.’ You’re always shortchanging. Sometimes my daughter needs something at school—a book fair or school function. She can’t go or participate because I had to buy Pampers or wipes for the baby instead.

In the words of the women who participated...

Low income women are often subject to scrutiny and surveillance by others. In this project we were behind the lens, not under the lens.

We looked in at our own experiences and out at the world from our own perspectives.

We look out for all the obstacles that come from living in poverty and we look for all the good things that keep us going.

We encourage people in communities to look out for each other, by developing just policies and treating everyone with dignity and respect.

We are looking for change and hoping to make a difference.

Our goal in this project is to use our words and photographs to raise public awareness and influence public policies to reduce poverty and improve the conditions of women’s lives.

Waiting by the Phone
Lynn*, 2006

Surviving below the poverty line means being isolated from loved ones in good times and bad. I do not have any money to put toward long distance calls. I cannot reciprocate; I just get calls when other people feel like calling.

Saskatoon Photovoice Photographers*
Butterfly Russell*                         Mary Jane*
Dawn McGraw*                            Moe S.*
Elaine Gamble                             Nadia
Genevieve Jones*                         Smith
Lynn*                                          Virginia Beebe
*Some of the women have chosen pseudonyms to protect their anonymity.

Saskatoon Photovoice Committee
Vanessa Charles, Saskatoon Antipoverty Coalition
Debbie Frost, National Antipoverty Organization
Kathryn Green, University of Saskatchewan, Department of Community Health & Epidemiology
Lorraine Marquis, Saskatoon Health Region, Social Work Department
Carolyn Rogers, Saskatoon Antipoverty Coalition
Kay Willson, Prairie Women’s Health Centre of Excellence

This project is sponsored by the Saskatoon Antipoverty Coalition & the Prairie Women’s Health Centre of Excellence