February 13th, 2020 was our first 25th anniversary event: Parole aux putes – an evening of readings and story-telling by sex workers — a group of 100 people gathered to listen to the voices of sex workers at the feminist bookshop l’Euguélionne. Some people were not even able to enter, due to lack of space!
One after the other, a dozen readers shared the microphone, generously sharing their experiences with us by reading texts written especially for the event or taken from their own work. Some chose to pay tribute to other sex workers by reading their writings.
Organizing this event in an openly feminist space is extremely important for people in our community: it demonstrates to the general public that the feminist movement supports the rights of sex workers and that our allies are everywhere.
By providing us with a public space to disseminate our words, our experiences and our experiences, we were able to touch a hundred people and teach them about our realities and our challenges. The diversity of stories highlighted the plurality of our industry, but also of the common stigma that binds us all together.
Different themes were raised in the readings: living and getting out of poverty, reconnecting to our bodies and regaining control, the hurtful remarks from society and our loved ones about us, and the human connections we can have with our clients.
We hope to see you in equal numbers at the next event which will take place on March 3 for the launch of the book Sex Work Activism in Canada at the bookstore Drawn & Quarterly.
We recommend that you arrive early to secure your place.
#ViveStella