In the heart of Montreal, a quiet revolution is being remembered. Not with grand statues or solemn ceremonies, but with a vibrant mural splashed across a brick wall – a tribute to Maimie Pinzer, unexpectedly crowned “new patron saint” of Jewish Montreal in 2023.
Pinzer, an early 20th-century activist, carved out a safe haven for fellow sex workers, a radical act of defiance in a time of immense stigma. Her legacy now pulses through the city, embodied by Stella, l’amie de Maimie, a sex worker advocacy group celebrating its 30th anniversary.
A powerful new exhibit, “By and For: 30 Years of Sex Worker Resistance,” unveils the decades-long fight for dignity and rights. It’s a story not just of survival, but of unwavering activism that extends far beyond the boundaries of their profession.
The exhibit, housed at the Centre des memoires montrealaises, isn’t about sensationalism. It’s a carefully curated collection of artwork, historical photographs, and poignant artifacts – a testament to resilience and a challenge to preconceived notions. Expect protest banners, not explicit imagery.
Sex workers have consistently found themselves at the forefront of broader social justice movements. Their identities intersect with countless communities – LGBTQ+, Indigenous, Asian, Jewish – amplifying their voices and broadening the scope of their activism.
This interconnectedness was powerfully demonstrated in 2021, when Stella joined a march in Montreal’s Chinatown, standing in solidarity against a surge in anti-Asian racism following the tragic shootings in Atlanta. What began as a local demonstration swelled to an astonishing four to five thousand participants.
The collaboration with Chinese community organizers was described as “amazing,” a moment of unexpected alliance forged in shared grief and a commitment to fighting hate. Stella organized a vigil, a “solemn and beautiful gesture” to honor the women lost, recognizing their vulnerability as both women of color and sex workers.
The exhibit doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities faced by these women, but it refuses to define them by victimhood. It celebrates their agency, their strength, and their unwavering determination to fight for their rights – not just as sex workers, but as human beings.
Among the exhibit’s most striking pieces is a patchwork quilt crafted by inmates at the now-closed Tanguay women’s jail. Alongside it, a collection of seemingly mundane objects – matchbooks from strip clubs, a worn cellphone, empty vials – become powerful symbols of lives lived on the margins.
The fight for bodily autonomy and against criminalization has always been central to sex worker activism, naturally aligning them with movements like HIV/AIDS patient advocacy and harm reduction. But their concerns extend to the very fabric of their communities.
They’ve become vocal opponents of gentrification, witnessing the displacement of their workplaces – the brothels and strip clubs – along St. Laurent Boulevard, replaced by luxury condos and upscale restaurants. Their resistance is a fight to preserve not just a livelihood, but a community and a way of life.
“People don’t know what sex workers are fighting for,” explains Jenn Clamen, communications coordinator for Stella. “They think it’s often just fighting for the right to be a sex worker, and that’s not it. It’s really fighting for basic human rights.” The exhibit, running until March 15th, is a powerful invitation to understand that fight.
