They were heady times for Vancouver. And the city was getting ready to host the world for Expo It was the beginning of the gentrification of the West End, the start of a social shift which resulted in a less-raucous neighbourhood, and perhaps one less flamboyant, less adventurous.
The decision to shoot the film came after eight months of research by Dale and Cole into prostitution in major North American cities. The turf was split up depending on what johns were seeking.
Boystown was centered around Broughton St with young guys cruising cars outside churches. The trannies were in the alleys off Bute. Some ultimately agreed to wear radio microphones as they negotiated with tricks while being filmed by a camera hidden in a nearby van.
The sex workers met β often in The Columbian restaurant above the Super Valu parking lot entrance β to create bad date sheets and to discuss health concerns, self-defense and safety. In doing so, they managed to create a pimp-free environment.
Throughout the film, the prostitutes talk about the violence they face, the stigmatization they endure and coming to terms with who they are.
