Ontario strikes down prostitution laws

* Some names have been changed to protect privacy

By Vanessa Brown

As her colleagues surrounded her with tears and laughter, jumping up with explosive excitement, Ruby Jeffrey sat motionless, dazed with disbelief. Her state of shock reflects a decade of secrecy in the sex-trade industry, and being ignored by the Canadian legal system.

           

“As a sex worker, you’re not used to things going your way, or anyone listening to you ever,” Jeffrey said.

           

It is a week following the landmark ruling. Her level of shock is still palpable, but her emotions are starting to mirror those of her fellow sex workers. Jeffrey is talkative and energetic. She believes the current Criminal Code provisions effectively cover sex workers with a blanket of tension in their daily dealings with clients, from negotiating  services beforehand, to worrying that the flow of traffic outside their bawdy houses will rouse suspicion in their neighbours.

We're still under construction!

We should have our first stories posted next week!

Aileen looks at the do-it-yourself trends in sexuality.

Legalization of prostitution is on the menu with Vanessa's article.

Wondering whatever happened to Ontario's sex-ed curriculum? Veronica's got the story.

And lines are blurred with Vicki's piece on art versus porn.

So stay tuned!

Porn Vs. Art, Why do we care?

When I was in High school I had a remarkable photography teacher, Mr. Creighton. He conned me into copying a Robert Mapplethorpe self portrait series for my final project. I didn't know Mapplethorpe.

Robert Mapplethorpe, Self Portrait

When I saw the work he had done, I freaked out! I couldn't do it! Mr. Creighton told me to do some self portraits and write an essay about Mapplethorpe's work and the impact it had on society.
I was shocked. I had no idea there was such an outcry in the art world, such a problem with nudity or homosexual/homoerotic depictions.

Secxpo at the University of Toronto