Sex work is work.
From the earliest days of the HIV response, sex workers of all genders have been part of our communities, often leading the organizing work to care for people living with, and at risk of HIV. Past and present sex workers are welcome to access all of Ribbon Community’s programs, as well as our drop-in spaces dedicated to sex workers.
No referral is needed to join these programs. All new participants are asked to confirm they are eligible for the program, and commit to our welcoming and respectful space agreement.
Trans Lunch Club
Trans and gender diverse sex workers are invited to lunch!
Join us from 12-1pm on Tuesdays at Ribbon for a meal, peer support, and community. Transit tickets are available to support transportation.
Confidential drop-in
Our program remains confidential and is open to past and present survival sex workers. Sex workers can connect with this program by invitation from current members, or a referral from a community organization, service provider, or health professional.
sex workers are welcome in all of ribbon’s programs and services:
Navigating substance use
Find us at the Rapid Access Addictions Clinic, or connect with a peer navigator or case manager
Learn about peer and case manager supportSex workers are welcome here.
From the earliest days of the HIV response, sex workers of all genders have been part of our communities, often leading the organizing work to care for people living with, and at risk of HIV.
Today, we operate a confidential evening drop-in program for male and gender diverse sex workers, and a weekly program known as Trans Lunch Club for gender diverse sex workers.
The history
Ribbon’s dedicated sex work program began in 1997 in collaboration with Vancouver Coastal Health. This program started offering supports to HIV-negative and HIV-positive people selling sex in the area known as Boystown, now called Yaletown.
Before Boystown, many men and trans women involved in sex work were based in Vancouver’s West End. Throughout the mid 1970s and 1980s, as the neighbour changed, business owners and homeowners, including some gay men, organized to push the sex workers out of the West End. This was happening in the early days of our organization when we were operating as AIDS Vancouver.
When PACE closed its doors in August 2025, the longstanding Trans Lunch Club program came to Ribbon Community.
