Vermont’s Ishtar Collective Proves That Legislative Change Begins With Community Building

The Ishtar Collective, our partner in Vermont, has been busy this year not only advocating for legislative change, but also building community through events rooted in connection, care, and mutual aid. As the only nonprofit organization in Vermont led by and for sex workers and sex industry allies, the collective continues to create spaces where people can gather, share resources, and connect with their neighbors and fellow community members.

Henri Bynx, Chief Advocacy Coordinator at Decriminalize Sex Work (DSW), is also the co-founder and co-director of the Ishtar Collective. The organization’s mission is to ensure that all laborers are protected, no matter their field of work, race, or gender. They understand that the struggles facing sex workers are deeply connected to the struggles faced by those across labor lines, and they use community outreach as a way to build safer, more supported communities.

So far this year, the collective has hosted and co-hosted a number of community events across Vermont. In February, they partnered with Rainbow Bridge Community Center for a free screening of Zola, followed by time for attendees to chat about the film and connect with new friends. That same month, they tabled at the Central Vermont Queer Line Dance event, where they also raised funds for Mosaic Vermont.

On March 26, the collective hosted a screening of Pretty Woman, paired with a discussion on how sex work is portrayed in popular media and the impact those depictions have on public understanding. In addition to these events, they continue to host free community meals every Sunday at the Church of the Good Shepherd, creating an ongoing space for neighbors to gather and support one another.

In May, they are partnering with The Spiral House to host a monthlong movie series exploring how stigmatized forms of labor are depicted in Hollywood. The movies to be screened include Showgirls, Boogie Nights, and The Players Club. Also in May, The Ishtar Collective is organizing a free flea market at the Montpelier State House, which will include a free community meal. The collective is currently seeking donations of dishes, clothes, and gently loved items to supply the free flea market and make the event as accessible and impactful as possible.

As Henri Bynx shared, “We believe that the only way to inform our work responsibly is to maintain an active rapport with as many neighbors as we can from as many lines of relevant experience as possible. Many people’s lives are impacted by criminality, and community building gives us a way to understand how to move toward safer communities for sex workers and survivors.”

These gatherings are a reminder that policy work and community care go hand in hand. Building safer communities means creating spaces where people feel seen, supported, and connected.