Saying
it is unconstitutional, an adult film company has filed a federal
lawsuit to block the new Los Angeles County law that mandates actors
wear condoms when participating in sex scenes. Universal City-based
Vivid Entertainment LLC claims that the Measure B condom requirement
passed by voters last fall violates actors' rights to free speech and
expression. “Overturning this law is something I feel very
passionate about. I believe the industry's current testing system
works well,” Steven Hirsch, founder and co-chairman of Vivid, said
in a written statement. The push for Measure B was led by the AIDS
Healthcare Foundation, which issued a statement saying the measure is
not directed at First Amendment rights but safety in a commercial
enterprise. “Their First Amendment claims will likely ring hollow
with the court,” Tom Myers, chief of public affairs and general
counsel for the foundation, said in a statement. He continued: “In
non-adult films, we don't let people take chances that can harm
themselves or others, with pyrotechnics, for example, just because
they feel their creativity or expression would be stifled.”
From
Mr. Hirsch, you get the porn-party line. Now, here is the truth:
A
recent study (2011) of Chlamydia and gonorrhea infection and
re-infection rates for adult film industry performers from 2004-2008
revealed startling findings regarding the high rates of
sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) in the adult film industry, said
The Aids Healthcare Foundation. Among the findings: Chlamydia
incidence in adult film performers was 8.5 times higher than the rate
in Los Angeles County residents aged 18-29 and 34 times higher than
in the general population. Gonorrhea incidence was 18 times higher in
porn performers than Los Angeles County residents aged 18-29 and 64
times higher than in the general population.
They need to wear the condoms. Some of them want to wear the condoms but fear less work and pay. Jenna Jameson talked about this in her book and urged readers who were considering a career in porn to always wear condoms. Even then, some diseases like herpes spread via skin to skin contact so condoms will help very little.
ReplyDeletePublic health and safety is more important than artistic expression. No one knows what these performers do in their private lives. Medical tests can also give false results. T. W.