Full disclosure: I have been HIV positive for almost 13 years now.

I am sick and tired of the head of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation spending its resources trying to force the porn industry to incorporate condom usage. From 1998 to 2009, a total of 35 porn industry performers have tested positive for HIV. (And surely some, if not most, of those people were infected off set.) I don't want to diminish the enormity of what those 35 people now have to deal with for the rest of their lives, but consider for a moment that during the time that three dozen porn performers were infected with HIV, literally MILLIONS of people around the world were infected with HIV, largely through poor decision making in the heat of passion in the privacy of their own bedrooms.

In going after the porn industry, the head of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation fights a losing battle. If California forces the studios to incorporate condoms, the studios will simply pick up and move to another state. And if all the other states follow suit, the porn studios will simply move overseas.

The really sickening thing here is that in a time when non-profits are struggling financially and when people with HIV/AIDS need the most help, the head of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation is busy squandering his organization's funds simply to make a point.

The reason for the lawsuit is not to protect the porn stars but to educate the public.

peterparker

I think you are missing the point. The issue is much more nuanced than what you have outlined. Even if "only" 35 porn stars have been infected with HIV, the bigger question is how many people have been infected as a result and how many people were infected by those people. So, to play the numbers game on the conservative side is being a little less than honest, don't you think?

The bigger point is that men and women who watch porn often imitate what they see. It has taught them a lot about sex (for better or worse). Don't you think it would be helpful to get that generation of young people who are being sexually adventurous to develop a culture of condom use?

I also find your excuse of not doing it because the industry will move to another state and then to another state and then out of the US somewhat one-dimensional. The same argument was made when discussing whether or not to put airbags in cars back in the 1970's. At that time opponents said it would cost too much, it wouldn't save that many more lives, cars would be too expensive and then car manufacturers would have to shut down. None of those things happened. It was the right thing to do then because it saved lives.

And so do condoms (obviously not in automobile accidents unless you are very, and I mean very lucky). :-)

As to fighting the HIV battle around the world, you are absolutely right. More needs to be done, we need to educate the men and women in the third world.

But that is no excuse to do nothing here.

notforsale

"The reason for the lawsuit is not to protect the porn stars but to educate the public"

So these are educational films now? If I purchase them can I write them off on my taxes as an educational expense?

I thought school was where we were supposed to get our education...we can get it by watching porn now? COOL!

The bigger point is that men and women who watch porn often imitate what they see.

Porn is supposed to be a fantasy - that's why people buy it! This is the same old tired argument people always use against video games, movies, TV, books, magazines, etc etc. It's all about censoring what people are allowed to enjoy as entertainment, in the guise of protecting us from ourselves.

Because your employer must provide all necessary safety equipment for you to complete the job without injury to yourself. That's what OSHA is for, so it may well be a valid claim.

regardless of your personal perferences to the contrary

" This is the same old tired argument people always use against video games, movies, TV, books, magazines, etc etc. "

and its now a proven fact that excessive exposre to violence in movies and vidio games can cause people (children mostly) to be more violent,...the advertizing industry does not rely so heavily on sex in the ads they produce if it was not having any effect...and its very likely that a large number of individuals who watch porn regularly are addicted to it....hence why its a billion dollar industry,...why shouldnt that industry like every other industry follow basic standards of safty for it performes?...if the health profession has to make sure that thier workers use protection to reduce the transission of infections,..so should the porn industry....to bad if the public wants to see condomless porn...the popularity of bareback porn only illustrates how a subculture driven buy an irresposable industry developes,...the idiots who defend it are not doing anyone any favors, it almost seems like they want everyone to get infected with thier disease..

One of my very best friends works in AIDS education for medical staff. I'd say porn with condoms is only important because it glorifies unsafe sex to all the kids watching at home (and let's face it, there are a LOT of people watching internet porn at home... I should know, I'm one of them!).

But I do believe that we need to change laws to test everyone for HIV. Having it treated differently than any other disease is putting too many people at risk. If you walk into a clinic for a sore throat or a gunshot wound, it should include a rapid HIV test. Education and knowing your status is the first step to limiting the spread of this disease.

"and its now a proven fact that excessive exposre to violence in movies and vidio games can cause people (children mostly) to be more violent,.."

Really? Wasn't this what the government tried to prove many years ago and failed?

Where are your peer-reviewed studies that conclusively prove this?

Actually the studies ok is mentioning doesn't even say increases violence, it says increase aggression, which may not necessarily lead to violence. It's also the same increase in aggression as playing team sports.

debbie

http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/developmentor/the_impact_of_media_violence_on_children_and_adolescents_opportunities_for_clinical_interventions

To protect yourself. One could have the AIDS virus and it might take some time to show up in the testing.

AMearCaratGirl, "One of my very best friends works in AIDS education for medical staff. I'd say porn with condoms is only important because it glorifies unsafe sex to all the kids watching at home"

Do you say this because your best friend lets her kids watch porn at home and she wants them to grow up safer?

this is all BUSH'S FUALT for firing all the federal porn regulators, aaaaaarrrrgghh!!!

sorry, just left another board where it was the usual. on topic, how desperate would you have to be to say to yourself, hmm, I can't seem to find a job, so I'll do porn without a condom? I'd live on the street first.

Alasdair- I agree with your post. After the scare where there were an unusally large number of Porn actors found to have aids,the already rigerous standards and testing became even more stringent. They are tested monthy I believe for all STD's , and early detection of infection with anything STD related , the pron industry hs a pretty good record. The majority of porn actors take this very seriously, and if they are not following the guidelines set up by the :health department " of the porn industry they don't work.

Regular monthly testing is good, as one could be exposed on Tuesday, and it not show a positive test until next month, up to 6 months after exposure. The industry , after the last problem, has really tightended up it's program. As far as testing and such, it is miles ahead of lets say, other Industries where a chemical, or lets say Mesothelioma monitoring an testing would be considered back to the stone ages.

The Industry has been very proactive in prevention testing , and treatment. Better than 99 % of industries in this country.

That being said, it is probably more likely that they are exposed outside of the Industry. If everyone is tested regularly, it sure cuts down on the potential to o to "work" and be exposed.

HIV is actually very hard to catch. The virus is very weak outside of the blood stream. Air will kill it, which is why you don't see people et it from toilet seats etc. The virus and transmission must have a direct, "injection " in to the bloodstream. That is why Injectable drug users have a much, much higher risk.

Anal sex would be another, very high risk. The membranes of the anal wall, is very thin ( think suppositories ) so along with Injections or dirty needles, anal sex would be the most common form of transmission. Bloody un sanatized medical instruments at a VA hospital is a more likelt place to contract it than the Porn industry.

It is not an easy virus to catch , unless you are engaging in anal sex with an infected partner( the Pitcher) or injecting drugs with dirty needles. Direct blood to blood exposure is almost a certain, but gain, it is still difficult but these risky behaviors dramactically increase the odds.

Another thing is, some people are more prone to get it when exposed than other. Why, nobody know. I am sure there are people who have unknowingly ( hopefully ) had sex with an infected partner , and did not ctach it.

So all in all, they have done a great job monitoring and tesing these actors. It is in their best interest to do so. If they regulate condoms, yes, they will go somewhere else, but that doesn't mean they will not vontinue the monioing and testing of the actors.

The other state part. Sure they will move . If for instance they put bags on the actors head, if a law required it, it will hurt their busines. The public doesn't buy it because of condoms, then they are going to fight that, and a good way to do so, is to show the system they used now. It is a pretty good program, made even better when some cracks in the system appeared during the 15-20 that were exposed .

Kids, if they are learning about HIV from watching pron movies, then moms and das, school health programs etc, are the ones failing. Parents have the ultimate responsiblity to teach kids. Not the porn industry. PARENTS do.

As many as there are of porn companies, if the testing and such, including education , were not working, you would see these actors, and the rates of infection SKYROCKET. Yet we don't.

So they are doing something right

T

Greg4422

"Because your employer must provide all necessary safety equipment for you to complete the job without injury to yourself. That's what OSHA is for, so it may well be a valid claim.

regardless of your personal perferences to the contrary"

So does that mean they will have to provide a hard hat for the female involved, just in case she bangs her head on the headboard?

Since american teens get their sexual education from pornography and not at school thanks to "Abstinence Only Sex Education" I think they have a good point. Everyone needs to see condoms being applied and used appropriately....especially the teens who are exposed to porn!

So, are you saying those MMA fighters should wear those body condoms like in Naked Gun?

That would look kinda disturbing with the two guys going at it with the little reservoir tips sticking up off their heads.

But at least they would be safe.

Or they could all just wear hazmat suits.

Actually, it's about promoting safe sex to people that watch porn, not the porn actors themselves.

Please stay on topic. We're dicussing MMA fighters wearing body condoms here.

The virus cn only live a very , very short time outside the blood. So yes, a fluke of blood system to blood system could ccure, but think how dificult that would be . It would be very very rare instance where one got it in the righ. The virus, the instnt it touches air, it cannot survive.

AMERECarATGirl - That is personal responsiblity. You cannot regulate or force people to wear condoms . The adults should be informed, and act accordinly

Peter-

"The really sickening thing here is that in a time when non-profits are struggling financially and when people with HIV/AIDS need the most help, the head of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation is busy squandering his organization's funds simply to make a point."

yes, exactly. I hate when what start out to be good orgs, ge more involved in the Politics than the purpose for which they exist.

The good news is that GIANT, HUGE discoveries have been made recently, in how to stop the virus from replicating, or even infecting the cell in the first place. They are on the 3 yardline and are about to score one the biggest medical advances in Medicine. The ability of the virus to infect the cell, that process MUST happen for the virus can live , an multiply. A lot of good people have been working on this for years and they now have several, proven ways to do this. The finish line is in sight and treatments and eradication of this virus, and blocking it in the first place, is here. In multiple ways It will not be long at all, fo them to devise the best way to do this, and yes, a real "vaccine" is close. So close.

Too late for some of my friends, but they will be able to stop any infection, and kill of existing peps with Aids or infected people with full blown aids to be free of this disease.

It is amazing the HUGE leaps they have made in the last month or so.

so Hang in there. Theyare close to hae this be as treatable as most infections are today. In a very short period of time, they will have this. It is so good, and the results so spectacular, they have the money and all hands on deck to finish this off.

You hang in there. Finally, we are there.

Actually, it's about promoting safe sex to people that watch porn, not the porn actors themselves.

If people are prone to practicing unsafe sex, I doubt it would change their minds if they saw porn stars wearing condoms. In fact, I'd be willing to guess they would think "how lame" and find porn where there AREN'T condoms being used. You can't fix stupid.

And just as an aside: since the article concerns a "work safety complaint", it IS about protecting the porn stars.

Thanks for the chuckle. There's too little decent humor on these discussion boards. Well, ... maybe I shouldn't say "decent" humor, but .....

LOL!! I think this could be a class action suit!! I'm in!

And out and in

Lather rinse repeat.

LOL Got my morning chuckle! Thanks

Daniel,

I'm going to file a "classless" action suit.

Both of my wrist are injured.....does this mean I get more money from the lawsuit?

So you get a lot of strange stufff

I guess that was how I got carpel tunnel, I will have to join the law suit!

Don't forget the rugburn!

you're welcome....

That is pretty funny!

Sue him for carpel tunnel, hmmm. Seriously, I wonder how this group thinks it has the legal standing to even bring suit - is there a law in California requiring porn stars to wear condoms while on the job?

shouldnt the porn industry be required to meet certain basic health and safty requirements for it employees,...like every other effing industry?...or are they they only industry that gets to put thier employess lives at risk without any industry wide regulation....if we were talking about the medical profession...the idiots on here who are defending the porn industry, would be screaming bloody murder.

@ok yes that's why the porn studios and stars are required to go through very stringent disease screening during movies and on a very frequent basis between movies. And once an "actor" does not pass they are banned from making anymore movies.

testing is not enough....they should be required to ware condoms....a performer can get infected the day after an HIV test...infect ten other performers and no one would ever know it....take a look at the gay porn industry, if in doubt...if every other industry has to follow safty standards then so should the porn industry....period.

So mr gay,

Have you people alike ever gave it any thought that this epidemic may be attributed to your peoples kind of behavour in the first place? If it wasn't for sticking your body parts into things were they don't belong,then something like aids may not have come along. I am getting sick and tired of you gay people shoving your beliefs and way's of life down everyones throats. You get what you deserve. Live life the right way and maybe crap like this wouldn't happen.

Sorry Jesse but it might take a long time to show? or maybe never show, they should just be carded and be tested regurarly just like a brothel.. period.. and If they do test positive the card must show it... required to work in any porn, or prostitution job.. but monies should not be funneled to sue the porn industry.. that is non-profit and tax payer money that is meant for education and helping those that are needing help (HIV+). Also they should use Condoms for their own safety... regardless of knowing they might get the disease.. or not.. since not everyone that works has gotten HIV or Hep or other related diseases.. just in case someone wants to say its there choice!!!..

Also don't forget it's the "actors" choice to require condoms or not, though the payout if you do use condoms is a bit less.

So what you're saying is that men need to see another mans weiner to get aroused? Don't they have gay porn where you can watch sausage fest all you want to get your erection?

uhh...news flash...people have been having sex for millions of years without the need for porn...if you cant get an erection without porn,...you need to help....the industry should be required to follow safty regulations for its employees like every other indistry....to bad for those idiots out there so addicted to porn that they will defend it untill thier last HIV infected breath...boohoo.

people have been having sex for millions of years without the need for porn

I'd be interested to verify this claim. Anybody out there with knowledge of early cave drawings? I'd be surprised if there aren't some graphic drawings on a cave wall somewhere.

Yes, "Ok", people have been having sex for a long time without the need for porn. However, evidence is found throughout the ancient world all the way back to the stone age that as soon a man figured out how to draw he immediately began creating dirty pictures. Porn is not new... just the medium.

what about babies who get it from their mothers..who never had a chance to make that choice for themselves...or women/men who get it b/c they were raped..or about people who still contract it through blood tranfusions b/c not every facility test blood correctly..do those people deserve what they got from this so called 100% preventable disease..

What do you mean everyone except Africa is smart enough not to catch it? Many Women in Africa have no choice they are completley dominated by the men in their lives who are free to sleep with whom they want with no condom usage and return home and infect their partners b/c these women can not say no..Saying no would mean the difference b/w dying today and dying 10 years from now..

Lets not pretend that AIDS isnt a real disease that raveges the body, yes Cancer and diabetes and high blood pressure need research dollars as well and they get it, but we can not overlook the many people dying from this illness as well. I thank God that I am HIV negative but a have a young family member who is positive...not b/c she chose not to have a man zip it up as you say but bc horrible people choose to take her body by force and infect her with a disease and no she wasnt in jail or a detention center..she is a self proclaimed band geek who was walking home from a park in her neighborhood when she was attacked..but I guess you would say thats Darwin at work! Come on really..No one deserves to die whether they choose at that moment to have unprotected sex or not..yes they take a chance but every person who has ever conceieved a child has taken the same chance...

Research dollars/education dollars are needed...

I hear ya, all activists suck. You don't see any of them complaining about the way we wrap our lips around the tailpipes of our cars and inhale deeply.

People are going to do what they want to do no matter what some activist wants. Reminds me of one of my favorite lines from the movie Airplane; They knew what they were getting into when they bought their tickets, I say let them crash.

If you were to, for instance, break your arm or leg at work, fall off a ladder, get burned, whatever, you can't pass those work injuries along to other people. It appears that there are still a lot of people who need to be educated when it comes to AIDS/HIV.

SOMEBODY wasn't wearing a condom and look what happened! We got Larry Flint!!!!

Fox-3 - that's a totally unnecessary attack and rude. I'd report you for abuse if it was an option. You can make your point without showing everyone what a jerk you are.

fox 3

your pretty much a dufus...period.

"I was making an ANOLOGY,..look the word up in the dictionary sweetie,..its the big book proping up your broken down welfare couch."

Uh... I think the word you were trying for is ANALOGY. Look it up, sweetheart. Listen to the smart women who are trying to educate you.

If you 'ol men truly REVERE a sicko like Larry Flynt, this world is truly on its last legs.

Long die the caveman!

Rachel..ok so im gay and CaroJay.....

fox3 has only succeeded in painting a picture of himself. YUCK! I was going to point out his spelling errors also, but you beat me to it. Thanks for having my back.

fox 3..... If you're sick of your girfriend or wife,...well, you picked her buster! That says more about you than her, and she could probably do better.

Aggie-345886

"If you were to, for instance, break your arm or leg at work, fall off a ladder, get burned, whatever, you can't pass those work injuries along to other people. It appears that there are still a lot of people who need to be educated when it comes to AIDS/HIV."

Damn, now I need to wear a condom at work just in case I fall off a ladder.

erictheredherring...I'm slapping my knee and LOL LOL LOL LOL......you are so hilarious and clever.................... WHAT???

They could be conditioned to actually get an erection upon viewing a condom, if, like the dog who salivated when he heard a bell ring, they would begin to link a condom to an erection.

1st of all there is no way "CONDOM PORN" could ever train me. I'm married 10years, with my wife 13 years. NO WAY I'm going back to condoms. Sex with a condom, safer it may be, sucks!!!!

So you can ring your bell and make CONDOM PORN but no way will it train me to link a condom to any erection I will have....

Dave...If you and your wife are monogomus then you have nothing to worry about and ride bareback all you want. I think the intention is to set an example and educate those who "sleep around". They never know what they're "tapping in to"...

Yes....the movie plot.....

I just read the articles.

You are missing the 1st Amendment protection of the press which has been broadly interpreted to cover movies. The courst have made exceptions for prurient material, but since the best definition of pornography ever released by the courts has been I know it when I see it, no one really knows what is legal so the Larry Flints of the world get to do things that would normally be illegal as long as they record the evidence of their illegal acts, and scream 1st Amendment whenever someone comes to arrest them.

And I don't understand why my wife wants me to try and find your phone number. She just says "hmm twenty guys". Thanks #$%^%$#$%.

So what have you done to decriminalize prostitution?

Prostitution is illegal because it pisses off the Government that they can't keep track of it and get there cut of the profits. The Government CAN keep track of what the porn film industry does and the money it makes and since it makes a ton of money and the governement gets a huuuge amount in return from taxes.... why wouldn't they allow it. The people running our country are just as sleazy as anyone in any porn video, they just dress better.

Amen...

do gooders?.....lol...how about ALL YOU "do good for nothings" stop imposing your will on everyone and require the porn industry to follow basic safty standards that every other industry must follow....if we were talking about the health care industry you idiots would be screaming bloody murder.

Sorta like smokers and second hand smokers deserve cancer, drikers deserve sorosis, overeaters heart problems ect.....

So, let me see if I understand this. You agree with Peter Parker and you think he deserves to have HIV (full disclosure: he's been HIV positive for 13 years).

I hope you never meet Peter in a bar.

The Constitution is the highest law of the land. I guess those founding fathers must have been total idiots !

We make Laws today that become obsolete in the future they will look back at the laws we make today and Laugh at us just as we do now )Slavery Women's rights Gay marriage )

the future generations will ask What were they thinking? so does a Doc written in 1776 still have relevance today? What were they thinking ?Freedom of the press ,Gun ownership, owning slaves ?

No one is telling you what you can and cannot do, so please continue to live "good," work hard and play hard. You may want to hold onto that huge collection of porn of yours because the actors in the new movies may be using condoms.

By the way, I hope the next person who comes up to you and tells you what to do is a policeman.

Aren't there some bigger issues to deal with these days than trying to compel porn actors/actresses to use condoms? I don't think most people watch porn for educational purposes. Of course it would be safer for the actors to wear protection, but enacting some kind of legal mandate? What's next? Maybe speed limits on drag racing. Anyone who makes a decision regarding personal safety based on watching pornography is likely not competent to be making any decisions.

Welcome to the "NANNY society" were everyone wants to tell you how to live yet get Government off our backs

Surely not. If someone were infected yesterday, last week or even last month, it would not immediatly show positive on an AIDS test. It may be 3 to 6 months before a positive result shows on a test, but it would still be possible to transmit the virus.

That being said, these porn actors are not innocent little farm girls and boys who just showed up in the big city and don't realize that unprotected sex is a risky endeavor. They make an adult, albiet maybe a misguided choice to have sexual relations without a condom. They know the risks and take their chances. The viewers of these films have also not just fallen off the turnip truck. They are also well aware of the risks of unprotected sex. Claiming that allowing the porn industry to continue to film sexual acts without a condom places its viewers at risk is asinine. No sane person could ever claim "oh, I saw Barbie Breasteses having sex in a movie without a condom so I thought it would be ok" and be taken seriously. We are all adults and we know better. AIDS/HIV activists should concentrate their efforts where they will do the most good; with education and prevention, and not waste their time and resources on this nonsense.

Everyone seems to be forgetting that teenagers watch porn. With the deplorable state of sex ed in this country, it's entirely possible that they might think it's ok not to use condoms.

so basically your saying that the porn indusry shouldnt be required to follow basic health and safty regulations for its employees like every other industry....because there are idiots are addicted to porn and cant bare the site of a condom....well news flash, people have been having sex just fine for millions of years without porn....and if the industry were to disapear tomorrow im pretty sure sex will still happen...and im pretty sure people will still enjoy it.

Don't call me Shirley!

"But I also believe that a big issue is protecting as many people a possible, everywhere. So maybe they should be required to wear a condom. It won't stop the porn star's off screen use or non use."

I would have to disagree. It is not the governments job to protect us from ourselves, rather foreigners that want to bring harm on us. It would make far more sense to require foreign import films to follow some sort of strict guidlines, and leave our citizens alone. These are adult films, produced by adults, and acted out by adults. Legislating personal risk in any manner is a dangerous precedence to our liberty and freedom.

Should we ban motorcycles, because they present an unnecessary risk? Should we ban skateboards? Should we ban base jumping, or bungy jumping? Life is risky, and we are thrill seekers by nature.

"Should we ban motorcycles, because they present an unnecessary risk? Should we ban skateboards? Should we ban base jumping, or bungy jumping? Life is risky, and we are thrill seekers by nature. "

no...but the government should require those who peoduce motoercycles to follow basic health standars for its employees...to prevent them from harm....you the owner of a motorcylcle can do what you want....but porn producers must make theier work places a safe environment....just like every other indistry.

It's OK, I wear a condom when I ride my motorcycle.

No one cares about you sexual history.