Maggie's: 4 Decades of Sex Worker Activism in Toronto

This exhibit discusses the history of Maggie's Toronto Sex Worker Action Project, a local activist group and registered charity with a 40-year presence in Toronto.

Founded in 1985/86 by queer sex workers in response to the AIDS crisis, Maggie's has championed safe sex, harm reduction, and mutual aid from the beginning. Their projects have, time and time again, addressed underserved and underacknowledged realities of sex work in the city throughout history, fighting AIDS stigma, advocating for trans rights, pushing for policy reform, and more. They have collaborated closely with local and national groups alike to enact change, while prioritizing on-the-ground action.

Here at the ArQuives, we are the proud keepers of dozens of files pertaining to Maggie's' founding, planning, activism, events, and communications both public and private. This exhibit draws from these resources to guide you through the organization's long history and enduring legacy.

Content warning: This exhibition contains explicit imagery, language, and discussions of sex, sex work, the AIDS crisis, STIs and other diseases, violence against sex workers, violence against trans people, and systemic injustice. Some original imagery may contain advice that is no longer considered accurate, or phone lines and addresses that are no longer active. For current guidance, please refer to the Further Reading Section.