Sex-Positive Writers and Performers in Toronto

Toronto has a visible community of writers and performers whose creative work returns to sexuality. Some write journalism and fiction, others perform burlesque or act, and many do several of these at once. Their projects treat sexuality as a subject of body and mind, play, aesthetics and erotic charge, and this overview describes the field in general terms rather than profiling any individual.

Careers in print and on screen

Writers in the field publish in local magazines, alternative weeklies and daily newspapers, and some appear in television segments about sexuality and culture. Interview columns are a common format, offering profiles of a varied group of artists, actors, authors and activists and giving readers a view of different approaches to sex-positive work.

Burlesque and acting

Alongside writing, many creators work as actors and burlesque performers. Burlesque has had a notable revival in Canadian cities since the early 2000s, with troupes and festivals in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and elsewhere. Performers often move between stage, screen and page, pausing stage appearances for writing projects or returning to them later.

Fiction about the erotic art world

Novels set in the erotic art world draw on themes such as modelling, galleries, studios and the money that moves through them. Writers describe the process as enjoyable, and such books belong to a long tradition of fiction about desire and the art scene.

Balancing creativity and public image

Artists who work with sexual themes sometimes report feeling caught between what they want to express and how audiences will receive it. Creators whose public image has grown around a sex-positive stance find that audiences expect erotic content in each new project. Many say they handle the subject thoughtfully, treat the material seriously and keep possible consequences in mind. Ultimately they follow their own instincts about what feels right, describing sexuality as a spur to that drive and not a brake on it.

Sex-positive creators more broadly

The term sex-positive describes an outlook that treats consensual sexuality as a normal part of life and opposes shaming. Writers, performers and visual artists who identify with it work in genres from memoir and journalism to burlesque and erotic fiction. Critics of the label sometimes argue that it can overlook people who experience sex differently, while supporters say it opens space for frank discussion.