TORONTO It’s been more than a year since 150 human rights organizations came together to demand the decriminalization of sex work in Canada, and in spite of minimal political progress since then, advocates continue to raise awareness about the human rights abuses that sex workers face. March 3 is International Sex Workers’ Rights Day. Advocates say the annual celebration commemorates the day in 2001 when thousands of sex workers rallied together for a public festival in Kolkata, India. The event was organised by a local group that fights for the rights of sex workers. Since then, human rights organizations across the globe have subsequently celebrated March 3, and have used the opportunity to highlight the ongoing discrimination and violence that sex workers experience.
Advocates in Toronto say barricaded seating at Union Station targets the homeless
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The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic has made life significantly more challenging for Toronto s most vulnerable residents, especially those experiencing homelessness, and advocates say the city isn t make it any easier.
Lorraine Lam, an outreach worker at Sanctuary, told blogTO that between 40 and 50 homeless people had been seeking warmth and shelter at Union Station each day for several months as lockdown measures resulted in the closure of most public indoor spaces, but staff recently blocked off almost all the available seating at the directive of both the city and Metrolinx.
Courtesy of Emma Lumi, Lethal Lady V, and Zoey Belle
From left to right: Emma Lumi, Lethal Lady V, and Zoey Belle are among Canadian service providers who shared their hopes for Valentine s Day.
When we think about Valentine’s Day, heart-racing associations come to mind: romance, gifts, boxes of chocolate, flowers, and bedroom activities.
This year is driving many Canadians up the wall, because they’re missing out on touch and intimacy. For Canadians who make their livings off sex work in particular, the COVID-19 pandemic has made the last several months a particularly challenging time.
In provinces such as Ontario, lockdowns have put strippers out of work, and prior targeted club closures didn’t help either. Jennifer, a Canada-based stripper and co-founder of advocacy group Work Safe Twerk Safe, told HuffPost Canada that many decided not to work when clubs were open, to keep themselves and vulnerable family members safe.