October 16, 2025 – In honour of its 30th anniversary, Stella, l’amie de Maimie – Montreal’s sex worker rights organization – launches an exciting 5-month exhibit that tells the story of collective resistance over the past 30 years. Joining forces with the MEM – Centre de mémoires montréalaises, the exhibit offers the public a unique view into how Montreal communities build community and connection in the face of shared adversities.
Resistance to oppression often begins where oppression is most pronounced. Such is the case in Montréal’s historic Red-Light District, where a sex workers’ rights movement took shape in the early 1990s. Known for their militant spirit and creativity, Montréal’s sex workers have had an important impact on public and political life – pushing the envelope and demonstrating resilience in a context of moral hypocrisy and repressive social boundaries.
Produced by and for sex workers, this exhibit guides visitors through 30 years of collective resistance for sex workers’ rights. The different subjects covered highlight sex workers’ diversity, and resilience in the face of criminalization, stigma, prejudice, and violence, and connections with other social movements of 2SLGBTQ+ people, drug users, communities of people experiencing homelessness, migrant communities, artists, feminists, and other groups across the city.
The exhibit is accompanied by a series of public events. Follow both the MEM and Stella’s social media for details.
The exhibit will be held from October 21, 2025 – March 15, 2026 at the MEM – Centre des mémoires montéalaises, 1210 boul Saint Laurent.
Stella, l’amie de Maimie
IG : organismestella
FB, Twitter, Bluesky : @AmiesdeStella
MEM – Centre des mémoires montréalaises
IG, FB, Twitter : @memmtl
