Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Condoms are Cramping Porno Valley's Style


Working in porn carries certain risks. Not least of which is the risk of catching an STD - HIV in particular. This is an issue porn production companies are not unaware of, and (at least on this continent) they put measures in place to minimize the risk of transmission amongst actors. But, the fact of the matter is, these risks exist.

Near the end of 2012, a proposed piece of legislature called "Measure B" was approved, mandating the use of condoms on all porn set in LA County - an area many adult entertainment companies and porn stars call home. Though hailed as a major coup by HIV/AIDS activism groups, the new law has not been as popular with adult entertainment producers - or the actors working in the industry.

In December 2012 James Deen (a porn actor primarily, but who will be starring alongside Lindsay Lohan in upcoming Brett Easton Ellis flick, The Canyons) spoke out on the subject, calling the measure unnecessary and further stating that the actors working in the adult entertainment industry are just that - adults - capable of weighing health risks and making their own informed decisions.

Perhaps not surprisingly, 2013 has brought with it a lawsuit in which Vivid Entertainment and porn stars Kayden Kross and Logan Pierce are suing the government over the law, claiming that it is unconstitutional and breaks their first amendment rights to freedom of expression.

I can see both sides of this particular debate. On the one hand, if you work in an industry where unprotected sex is the norm, even if you're a consenting adult, it might be difficult (or impossible) to say no to unprotected sex and still get work. There's also the issue of infection spreading faster than in the general population, and crossing over into it. But these are not new issues, and let's face it, there are plenty of people engaging in risky sex with multiple partners without getting paid for it.

On the other hand, for many - if not most - adult film stars, working bareback is something they are not only okay with, but prefer. And who's to tell them they can't do what they want with their bodies? No one's making everyone who hooks up at a club on Friday night for a one-night stand wear condoms by law, and some of them have gone without any form of testing for much longer and engaged in riskier behaviour than the porn stars in question. At least with porn stars, there's an added incentive not to take stupid risks - since if they contract an STD they'll be temporarily or permanently unable to work in the industry.

This is one of those issues I'm having a hard time picking a side on.

What do you think?

2 comments:

  1. I say it should be left up the stars themselves. If they want to ride bare back and are willing to except the risks im all for seeing skin on skin. That being said I've NEVER turned down a good skin flic on account of a latex wrapped weiner.

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    1. Yeah. I don't care much from a viewer's perspective - bareback's a *bit* better, but not so much as I'd really care. I don't tend to judge people on what they're doing in the bedroom - I figure as long as they understand the implications and have all the info they need to make an informed decision, it's their decision. Same goes when it's for pay, imho.

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