Standing together to determine the terms of Triple-X work!
Triple-X in the News!
B.C. sex workers' group confronts stigma around STDs, Georgia Straight, July 21, 2020
"I feel this is a direct barrier to legal reforms that would make sex work a legal business – and a direct barrier to a professional association for sex workers," Sorfleet maintained. "The Public Health Agency of Canada needs to endorse decriminalization of prostitution, because occupational health and safety is an important avenue to address STBBI prevention."
B.C. sex workers' association says federal law kills membership drives, Georgia Straight, July 16, 2020
"It means we are prohibited from collecting annual membership dues and we're prohibited from recruiting new members because we would most definitely be counselling and encouraging people to work in the sex industry," Sorfleet said. "So it stands right in the way of sex workers being able to form their own association."
Triple-X Presents at AIDS 2020 Virtual
Andy Sorfleet, president of Triple-X received a scholarship to present a poster at the 23rd International AIDS Conference, San Francisco, as well as two events for the Global Village & Youth Programme, which was open for free to the public.
The poster PEF1883, titled 'From population group" to "behavioural risk factors:" Community response shifts public health strategies for sex workers in STBBI prevention policies in Canada,' was presented in Track F of the AIDS conference's Science Programme: 'Monitoring and evaluating policies and their impact on people living with HIV and key populations – Policy development, implementation and analysis/evaluation' (Type: Lessons learned).
From July 6 through 10, Global Village Virtual had 8,000 visits from 4,000 visitors. The online event featured 954 sessions, performances, films and art exhibits that were viewed nearly 105,000 times. Triple-X president, Andy Sorfleet gave a one-hour slide presentation at the Global Village & Youth Programme at 1 p.m. on Monday, July 6, titled: 'Sex Workers' Resilience in the Face of AIDS: 30 years of international activism.' The presentation was available throughout the conference and was viewed 363 times. It received several nice comments from delegates.
"This slideshow will feature historic photos, archival video footage and safer sex educational memorabilia that chronicles the birth and growth of an international sex workers' AIDS movement, and it's rocky relationship with the World Health Organization and UNAIDS."
As part of the Global Village & Youth Programme, Triple-X also presented a screening event of sex workers' history films to complement Andy Sorfleet's slideshow presentation:
Nurse Annie
"First safe sex film made in Canada. Shot in 1985, in 16-millimeter by a well-known cameraperson, the film premiered at a fundraiser at Casey House AIDS Hospice in Toronto. The film features the challenges of using condoms and advocates for sexy, safe activities such as fantasy. Directed and starring erotic striptease legend, Annie Smith." Nurse Annie was viewed 131 times over the course of the conference.
Nurse Annie at Global Village & Youth Programme, AIDS 2020, July 6-10, 2020
Our Bodies Our Business
"Filmmaker Geraldine George compiles Catherine Gund's footage from the 1989 International Conference on AIDS in Montreal, featuring sex workers' rights activism, into Our Bodies Our Business, Part One (OBOB1), a 24-minute documentary. OBOB1 illustrates how in the early years of the AIDS crisis while facing a mounting death toll, the withholding of life-saving drugs and systematic scapegoating of prostitutes, these pioneering activists pushed back with incredible intellect, performance and actions." Our Bodies Our Business was viewed 112 times during the conference.
Our Bodies Our Business, at Global Village & Youth Programme. Click "CC" for Closed Captioning.
Prowling By Night
"This 1990 documentary uses paper dolls and animation to tell the story of police harassment of sex workers and AIDS prevention workers in Toronto's Parkdale neighbourhood. National Film Board of Canada." Prowling By Night was viewed 92 times over the course of the conference.
Prowling By Night at Global Village & Youth Programme, AIDS 2020, July 6-10, 2020
#DEC17
"#DEC17 features sex workers protesting around the world since the 1970s. Inspired by Queen's 'We Are the Champions,' the video was created by Triple-X Workers' Solidarity Association of British Columbia in 2017 to commemorate International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers – December 17. The international day was started in 2003 by Robyn Few and Annie Sprinkle, following the conviction of Gary Ridgeway, who was responsible for the murders of many, many, sex workers in the Pacific Northwest." #DEC17 was viewed 316 times during the conference.
#DEC17 at Global Village & Youth Programme, AIDS 2020, July 6-10, 2020
‘CODE:RED’ – RUM 2020 Goes Virtual!
Red Umbrella March for Sex Work Solidarity celebrated its 8th year with a virtual slideshow video featuring the history of Red Umbrellas marches around the world, and the last 7 years in Vancouver! Soundtrack by Kelsey Lu.
Video: Sex workers' Red Umbrella march goes virtual this year in wake of COVID-19 pandemic, Georgia Straight, June 15, 2020
"Every second Saturday in June since 2013, the Triple-X Workers' Solidarity Association, Pivot Legal Society, Sex Workers United Against Violence, the PACE Society, First: Feminists Advocating for Decriminalization of Sex Work, B.C. Coalition of Experiential Communities, and SWAN have been holding the Red Umbrella march for sex workers' safety and labour rights."
Ontario Court Rules Sex Work Laws Unconstitutional
Conclusion [216]: "I find sections 286.4, 286.3 and 286.2 of the Criminal Code to be unconstitutional."
Regarding the admission of evidence from the two Crown witnesses:
"I will admit the evidence. However, given the lack of impartiality and objectivity, and the inability of both witnesses to consider any position other than their favoured ideology, the evidence of the two Crown expert witnesses will be given no weight."
R. v. Anwar, 2020 ONCJ 103, Ontario Court of Justice, February 21, 2020, Court File No. London 18-5872; Kitchener 19-236. Before Justice A. T. McKay. Heard on February 6, 7, 15, March 19, April 11, and May 8, 2018, and January 30, April 23, 24 and June 13, 2019
Contact Us
Triple-X Workers' Solidarity Association of B.C.
P.O. Box 3075, Station Terminal
Vancouver, B.C. V6B 3X6
