Again, we were lucky to see so many faces for our second event on March 3rd, at Drawn & Quarterly Bookstore. We counted at least 60 heads!
This evening was special for so many reasons: firstly because we launched the new book by Editors Amy Lebovitch and Shawna Ferris’, Sex Work Activism in Canada, which highlights sex worker rights groups and advocacy for sex workers’ rights in Canada, but also because March 3rd is the International Day for Sex Workers’ Rights.
We were fortunate to be able to count among us one of the co-editors of the book, Shawna Ferris, who talked about the motivations behind this book. The Quebec-based groups and organizations that wrote a chapter of the book were present to read excerpts of their stories: Stella, Projet Lune and AFS (Feminist Solidarity Alliance for the Rights of Sex Workers). Rézo and ASTTeQ were also invited to speak and share the specific issues related to their respective communities.
During the “show and tell” portion of the evening, each of the organizations shared an object of significance to their advocacy or community. Projet Lune shared their new and exciting trousse – a lovely purple bag that they fill with objects meeting some basic needs of sex workers in their community; ASTTeQ shared GenderTrash, a first Zine by and for trans people who inspired the organization to organize collectively; Rézo brought a box of condoms because it is the material they distribute most often; AFS presented the stickers they created to demonstrate solidarity between feminist movements and sex workers; At Stella, we showed off our Silver Talon Award, and discussed the significance of the shoe itself as a symbol that sex workers can recognize, and also the importance of honouring the volunteers who keep Stella alive.
#LongLiveStella