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Venus Envy is a Canadian sex shop and independent book store with a website and two retail stores (in Ottawa, Ontario and Halifax, Nova Scotia). Venus Envy was the second Canadian business to offer woman-friendly surroundings and service distinct from traditional sex stores.
Locations
The Halifax Venus Envy opened in the South end of the city in 1998 and moved to its current downtown location in 1999. The Halifax location is a full-service book store that serves as the local women's and LGBT book store as well as a sex shop.
The Ottawa store opened in the Byward Market area in 2001 and moved to its second Centretown location in 2005. VE is now located at 226 Bank Street. Venus Envy Ottawa is more narrowly a sex shop than the Halifax location, offering books only on matters of sex, gender, reproduction, and health. In 2015, the Ottawa store was fined by the city for selling a chest binder to a minor. In support of Venus Envy, city councillor Catherine McKenney and mayor Jim Watson called for reform to the bylaw. The fine was later waived. Venus Envy removed sexually explicit videos from their racks in order to make the store an all ages space. In March 2022, the Ottawa location closed indefinitely due to a fire.
Education
Venus Envy offers sexual and health education workshops, and engages in sex education outreach in partnership with local groups such as the Canadian Federation for Sexual Health (formerly Planned Parenthood Canada) and various student and women's organizations. Both Venus Envy locations offer bursary programs in support of local students pursuing post-secondary education.
References
- Stacey May Fowles (2014-08-29). "Hot, Wet, and Shaking, by Kaleigh Trace: Review". National Post. Retrieved 2015-01-27.
- Henry Grabar (2014-11-23). "Our transit future in peril: How idealism is threatening to derail vital projects". salon.com. Retrieved 2015-01-27.
- Trevor Greenway (2014-01-23). "Ottawa sex shop moves to new digs on 13th birthday". Metro News. Archived from the original on 2015-01-28. Retrieved 2015-01-27.
- Andrew Nguyen (2014-07-16). "A rare Norge ball's long run on Lisgar comes to an end". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 2015-01-27.
- "Kim Airs: From Harvard University to Sex Toy Entrepreneur". 15 July 2016.
- Chloe Fedio, CBC News. "Ottawa sex shop fine over chest binder shows difficulties facing transitioning youth". Oct 01, 2015.
- Joanne Laucius. Ottawa Citizen. "City to review bylaw after sex shop fined for selling garment to trans teen". September 30, 2015.
- Joanne Laucius, Ottawa Citizen. "'More than a store. It was a hub': Sex shop Venus Envy closes after fire" April 5,2022.
- Jeremy Willard (2014-10-27). "Venus Envy's monstrous affair". Daily Xtra. Retrieved 2015-01-27.