What Porn Stars Are Saying About California Condom Law ‘Measure B’
Beyond the re-election of President Barack Obama, a number of smaller measures were approved across the country, representing significant wins for marriage equality and marijuana legalization. Another proposal, “Measure B,” a regulatory law requiring porn stars in California to wear condoms during filming was also passed, and has earned a fair share of criticism.
The controversial measure requires performers in pornographic films to wear condoms while on set to protect themselves from STIs and AIDS. The initiative has been lauded by human health advocacy groups, but universally damned by the adult film industry, who cite a violation of personal rights, government intervention in business practices, and redundancy (the adult film industry requires strict STI testing monthly).
Many adult film production companies are even considering leaving the state of California rather than pay the new $11,000 annual permit fee and subject themselves to routine regulation and investigation.
But how do the performers, the porn stars themselves, feel about Measure B? Largely, they side with the opinion of their industry, reports MSN.
“It’s not about safety,” porn star James Deen said. “This is about freedom of expression. This is interrupting the people’s choices of what they want to view.”
“The last time we attempted to go all condom, our industry lost sales by over 30 percent,” said Deen, reflecting a wide industry opinion that people won’t buy films in which condoms are used. “That’s a huge hit to our economy.”
“No one really understands how the porn industry works,” Deen told Jezebel in a separate interview. “They think we’re reckless and easily exploited; what people don’t understand is just how much we care about our health and the health of the all the performers in our community.”
Further, Deen advocates a partnership with the AIDS HealthCare Foundation, bemoaning what he laments is a missed opportunity. “There ought to be condom ads on every porn site,” he says, “condoms are a great idea. They just aren’t the best way to keep performers safe on camera.”
Actor and director Kimberly Kane also voiced her disapproval over the measure: “Testing has kept us safe and while some performers might not mind the idea of condoms in some circumstances, no one would feel safer with condoms instead of testing! There has been a lot of speculation within the industry as to what the AHF’s motivations are. Headlines? Fundraising? Grant money?”
Porn star Nina Hartley wrote that “the money issue alone should sink it [Measure B].”
What do you think of Measure B? Both sides have persuasive arguments, but is it a matter of public safety that’s best left in the hands of the government or the adult film industry?
