HIS417H1: The Oldest Profession in Canada: Sex Work Histories in Comparative Contexts

This seminar explores the historical effects of the "world's oldest profession" in Canada and beyond. Using a range of texts, including film, memoirs, oral history and visual culture, it seeks to enhance both historical and contemporary discussions of the sex trade by examining its rich, difficult and problematic pasts. Seminar readings and discussions will examine the lives and experiences of multiple sex trade-involved populations, from affluent 19th-century madams to streetwalkers and queer and trans communities.