Rising Identities: An Italian Photovoice Project with the LGBTQ+ Community.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ+) people in Italy face hostile environments daily, often struggling to feel self-effective in promoting social change, which can negatively impact their mental health and education. This contribution outlines a Photovoice project promoted by a Northern Italian anti-discrimination center. University students and young adults took photographs depicting the issues LGBTQ+ people were facing in the city, the main challenges of daily life in a sociopolitical context that does not recognize certain basic rights, but also the positive meanings they associated with belonging to the community. The project was conducted by two community psychologists and a psychology intern working in the center. Six young adults attended the Photovoice project, and ten main themes emerged. Group activities gave participants the chance to face many issues, including struggles of same-sex parenting, coming out in hostile environments, and the fear of being invisible for the broader community because of institutional erasure. Positive themes also emerged, including pride, encounter, and caring for each other. The group was then asked to create an exhibition to share their instances with policymakers and institutions of the local community. Playing a central and active role in all phases of the project made participants experience empowerment, agency and hope for the future, kicking off a wider social commitment and subsequent events and collective actions supported by national social media and organizations.