daughters, mothers, grandmothers and other sexual outlaws

Last Fall, Inter Pares launched daughters, mothers, grandmothers and other sexual outlaws, a photo exhibition in collaboration with Gallery 101 in Ottawa. The exhibit is co-curated with counterparts Nijera Kori in Bangladesh, La Colectiva Feminista para el Desarrollo Local in El Salvador and Likhaan Center for Women’s Health in the Philippines.  It documents sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) activism in contexts that are hostile towards bodily autonomy for girls, women and gender-diverse people.  

The exhibit features the talent of local photographers, showcasing the strength of activists confronting deeply entrenched barriers to sexual health and rights. The photographs spark a conversation on how intergenerational knowledge flows from many directions—older generations are challenged, changed and informed by younger ones and vice versa. From young girls challenging child marriage to women asserting their rights to contraception and legal, safe abortion, the exhibit celebrates generations working together. 

Art reaches people in ways traditional advocacy can’t. We recently sat with counterparts to learn how art can facilitate conversations that are often silenced.  

"A picture says more than a thousand words," said Wendy Barrera Rivas, an activist working with La Colectiva in El Salvador. “Through feminist journalism, we show what we Salvadoran women are living and we aspire for individual freedom.” 

Art can also break through silences around sexuality. "Most adolescents are hesitant to talk about these issues because they’re seen as taboo," shared Sharaban Tohura, who works with our counterpart Nijera Kori in Bangladesh. "Using creative outlets like songs, plays, or photos helps us to talk about SRHR with young people." Creativity helps young people understand SRHR and share it with their peers, building solidarity through collective action. 

daughters, mothers, grandmothers and other sexual outlaws is a testament to the universality of the struggle for sexual and reproductive health and rights across geographic and cultural differences. When the exhibit launched, Inter Pares Latin America Program Manager Nathalia Santos Ocasio stated, “This exhibit deepens our understanding of what SRHR activism looks like around the world. It’s a call to action for us all.”  

Although the exhibit in Ottawa has concluded, the photos and their stories are available online and will be travelling to select cities across Canada in the coming months.