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Matinee: 'Love Means...'
19 March 2022
Saturday matinees long ago let us escape from the ordinary world to the island of the Swiss Family Robinson or the mutinous decks of the Bounty. Why not, we thought, escape the usual fare here with Saturday matinees of our favorite photography films?
So we're pleased to present the 440th in our series of Saturday matinees today: Love Means....
This 1:37 video by Scott Drucker was made in collaboration with still photographer Hilary Gauld Camilleri of One Wall Photography.
It's shot in her studio where she photographed couples with Downs Syndrome for her photo essay Love Means... for the Canadian Down Syndrome Society.
"The goal of the project is that these stories and visuals inspire, educate and create space for greater visibility of the experiences adults with Down syndrome navigate, including love," she said. "These are just some stories and visuals of how love, both platonic and romantic, can exist, but are not the same for everyone -- because no community is a monolith."
Gauld has been photographing people with Downs Syndrome as part of a long-running personal project for the Waterloo-Wellington Down Syndrome Society.
Here are the details from her About page:
For the past seven years, Hilary has poured her boundless energy into creating an annual series of images for the Waterloo-Wellington Down Syndrome Society. Her projects 31 Days, 31 Faces, See Me, Better with You, Who do You Love?, More to Me, Who We Are and Believe With Me have been featured by local, national and international media, including People Magazine and Breakfast Television, spotlighting these wonderful children and adults and their families and their beautiful and unique perspectives on the world.
You can see how her stills finish the sentence, "Love means...." But the video, which was produced for the Canadian Down Syndrome Society to mark World Down Syndrome Day 2022 on March 21, lets her subjects express their thoughts with more than a little eloquence in their own words.
For more information see the Canadian Down Syndrome Society's news release below.
Photo Series Shows What 'Love Means..' for Adults With Down Syndrome
The work by photographer Hilary Gauld, in partnership with the Canadian Down Syndrome Society, features a series of portraits which include people with Down syndrome, accompanied by explanations of what love means to them.
TORONTO -- Recent years have brought about increased appreciation, understanding and media portrayals of love across lines such as neurodiversity, gender identity and expression, sexuality and culture, yet the Down syndrome community has largely been excluded from the conversation.
As part of its continued efforts to dispel misconceptions and lack of understanding about the lives of people with Down syndrome, the Canadian Down Syndrome Society has launched an awareness initiative timed to coincide with World Down Syndrome Day (March 21).
Depictions of love within the Down syndrome community are seldom shown, so to change perceptions, the CDSS partnered with Canadian photographer Hilary Gauld of One For The Wall to create the photo series "Love Means..." The series shows the many ways that love exists for people with Down syndrome: Romantic, platonic, same-sex and between people with Down syndrome and others.
It features nine different "love stories" about individuals who either have Down syndrome or are in a relationship with someone who does. The group includes single adults who are navigating relationships and romantic love, as well as straight and gay couples.
The individuals in the photo series show what love represents to them: Respect, happiness, trust, warm hugs and intimacy. The images are being shared through the CDSS's social media channels and supported by a robust PR campaign.
Gauld has spent the past eight years photographing children and adults with Down syndrome to dispel misconceptions and promote visibility. "The goal of the project is that these stories and visuals inspire, educate and create space for greater visibility of the experiences adults with Down syndrome navigate, including love," she says. "These are just some stories and visuals of how love, both platonic and romantic, can exist, but are not the same for everyone -- because no community is a monolith."
Among the 15 individuals featured in the photo series are Paige and Tyler, who have been a couple for the past eight years; best friends Jessica and Matt; new couple Krystal and Tammy; single queer woman Ren; and Kirk and Beth, who have been in a relationship for the past 12 years. Their photos are accompanied by thoughtful interpretations of what love means to them, in their own words. Some examples:
"Everybody needs someone to love and have a warm hug. It's the best feeling in the world."-- Paige, 25;
"I feel love like singing in shower." -- Beth, 41
"Love means to me respect and cherish." -- Tatem, 30
"Love means to me that love comes in different forms and love is love." -- Krystal, 32
Laura LaChance, Executive Director with CDSS, says that depictions of romantic love within the Down syndrome community are uncommon, making it just one of the many facets of human life that the world doesn't consider about people with Down syndrome.
"Our campaigns are always aimed at spreading awareness about Down syndrome," said LaChance. "They also help support solutions for issues that individuals with Down syndrome face. Right now, there is an overwhelming lack of awareness and understanding about the complete lives that people with Down syndrome live and about the range of emotions they experience. This work will change the public narrative."
"It surprises me that there is a need to demonstrate that people with Down syndrome have and want to experience the same shared relationships and love others take for granted," adds Margot
Love means someone that understands you and loves for who you are. And be there for you." -- Matt, 30
Langis, whose daughter Ren is one of the people photographed for the campaign. "Love is a human need and it does not discriminate."