Our Research

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WHAT IS CELLING SEX?

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Celling Sex is a community-based participatory research project. We used cellphone video-making and interviews to learn from young women who trade sex about their harm reduction practices and access to health services. The study engaged fifteen straight and queer-identified women of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds who were between the ages of 19 and 25.

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WHAT IS THE CELLING SEX FILM?

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Following the study we produced a short cellphilm (cell phone film) in which young women who actively trade and/or have traded sex in Toronto share their advice and experiences doing so. We have screened the film at Planned Parenthood, Maggie's, the University of Toronto School of Public Health, and more. As a collective we continue to work toward showing our film to community groups, health clinics, and classrooms in the GTA. If you're interested in booking a screening, we welcome you to contact us!

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WHY TRADING SEX?

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Transactional sex is one way that people can get a range of commodities, money, food, and gifts in exchange for virtual or real interactions with them and their bodies. Some people actively choose to trade sex, whereas others find themselves in transactional relationships unexpectedly. There are many different names for these relationships: sex work, sugaring, selling nudes, having a sugar daddy, or being in a strange relationship. Young women who trade sex are often invisible to healthcare providers, but they have unique health physical and mental health needs that require attention. They may also fear and experience stigma from friends, family, and healthcare providers, which can limit their access to healthcare.

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