Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest is excited to announce our collaboration with local drag queen and activist, Amber St. James, to encourage people to get tested for STIs! Self-styled as the Kick-Ass Bearded Black Activist Queen, Amber St. James is a fierce civil rights advocate, drag performer and producer, entertainer, and artist. From Amber St. James:
Amber St. James is the African Bearded, death dropping & dipping, cartwheeling, split queen known for her revolutionary activist work in and out of drag and her entertaining high-energy performances she is also the First Ever San Diego Mx.Gay and the first ever Mx International Pride both of which being gender neutral titles in the International Imperial Court System and the Imperial Court De San Diego. She is also known for her amazing work building and sustaining the drag community at San Diego State University along with many other colleges around Southern California.
Planned Parenthood is teaming up with Amber St. James to educate people via social media about where their local Planned Parenthood health centers are, health care services provided by Planned Parenthood, and how to take charge of their health by getting tested for STIs. Sashay your way to Instagram to follow the campaign! Find Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest on Instagram @pppswhealthand Amber St. James @mxsstjames. We asked the queen a few questions about how reproductive health fits into her work below:
Why is it important to you that people get regular STI testing?
I believe that it is important for folks to get regular STI tests so that they can continue to have fun this Pride season and be sexually liberated without the nagging stress of not knowing their status. I also think that as queer people of color, it is so important to get tested, as we tend to be the highest affected and so being able to fight the statistics and live longer, healthier lives helps us to continue to be the lights of the community and culture-makers we are.
How does this campaign fit into your work with the community?
I see this campaign fitting into my work of being a space creator because it helps to demystify the space of sexual health education and show that it can be fun and encouraging to go get STI tested and to learn about the different ways you can receive necessary resources and engage with Planned Parenthood services. I also feel like as a Black queer person, so often these sexual health and education spaces sometimes feel white-washed and so this partnership helps to show that "HEY, THIS IS A SPACE FOR US TOO!'' and to help build out the diversity commitments of Planned Parenthood and to expand the knowledge base of the ways in which their services can be used by so many more folks than the dominant discourse about Planned Parenthood only being for women, but showing that it is for everyone.
What would you tell someone that might be afraid to get STI tested?
If someone was afraid to get an STI test I would tell them that while their fear and feelings are valid, that the wonderful folks at Planned Parenthood are committed to helping them soothe that fear by being there every step of the way to make them feel comfortable, safe, and cared for. I would tell them that it does not have to be a scary experience and that going to get tested can actually be a fun, nonjudgmental experience – especially when you go with friends.
Thank you, Mx St. James!
Learn more about STIs and your options for testing and treatment at planned.org/STD. To find a Planned Parenthood health center near you, use the search bar below.
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