So the preverbial “Shit hit the fan” last week when a prominent L.A. porn star was found to have HIV. It’s not the first time this has happened in the porn industry, and I fear it won’t be the last. Still, Wicked and Vivid (two film companies I have featured in these very columns) have halted production on their films momentarily.
Now as you may or may not know, porn actors are required by law to test negative for HIV and other STD’s within 30 days of going to work on a film. The AHF (AIDS Healthcare Foundation) has been vociferous through this recent development-as they have been through the years-pushing for industry-wide condom use and safe sex practices (in the recent Wicked movies I reviewed here I did happen to notice consistent condom use). At just the end of last week there was a meeting in L.A. to see to the halting of the handing out of permits to shoot porn.
“A requirement from L.A. City Council would send a powerful message that the public bodies think it’s an important public health issue,†AHF spokesman Ged Kenslea pleaded to the L.A. council.
But Councilman Richard Alarcon said to the Los Angeles Times that there could be a risk with lawsuits over civil rights violations if L.A. county simply began halting permits to shoot (which they had yet to do). “To revoke a permit for an entire industry — where does it stop?†Alarcon asked, adding: “If a stuntman injures himself — and we know there are injuries to stuntmen all the time — are we going to pull all the permits for the industry?â€
I’m torn.
I believe in protection, condoms, etc. and I champion the porn industry demanding their performers getting tested. I also think that the porn companies should be involved with the sorting out of what’s happened. But I also agree with Alarcon’s assessment that yes, these things have a way of causing a much bigger ripple effect on civil rights (while maybe the effects or detection of HIV should cause a big ripple effect), though the councilman’s “stunt man†analogy is a little weak-if a stuntman gets hurt and continues to work he usually only puts himself in danger, where as a person effected with HIV can harm others. I do caution for any umbrella-like ban on, letting any institution or God forbid the government from adding regulations on private businesses.
And here you thought this column was all just tits and ass and where the best S&M party was being held, huh?
There are so many porn companies from NYC to L.A., and everywhere in between making gonzo stuff. Do you think anyone would be able to enforce a condoms-only policy on these rebels? And as the makers of porn consistently point out, their audience has time and again expressed their displeasure when they see a penis wrapped in a condom when that penis is doing you know what; they want their porn to be fantasy.
What is your stance on this topic?
