HIV Positive Actor Could Damage Porn Industry
Updates
An unnamed actor in the porn industry has contracted AIDS and subsequently caused multiple companies to stop all production until re-testing can be done. Five companies from Vivid Entertainment and Wicked Pictures have stopped production in California’s multi-billion dollar sex industry. The actors’ identity and gender have been withheld by the Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation which is a clinic that, as you can see, caters to porn stars. “We are quarantining and testing all exposed partners to the individual,” said Jennifer Miller of the Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation. “We’re doing what we can to notify the individuals involved,” she added.
More companies are expected to shut their doors until testing can be completed but the companies have not been named as of yet. Vivid Entertainment Group founder Steven Hirsch says at least five companies have shut down production as the industry awaits more news and testing. Vivid said it halted production to protect its workers from possible exposure to the disease, however it may be to late.
It is unknown at this point how the actor contracted the disease and if he or she transferred it to any number of actors. Vivid Entertainment is famous for its condomless shoots that recently caused some controversy with an AIDS prevention group. Condom use is not mandated in anyway by the government but it is rumored that this case may prompt the government to step in. If the government is forced to step in to prevent another possible AIDS outbreak it will certainly change the industry forever and likely in a negative way.
Anytime the government is involved in regulating an industry or mandating the use of something it often goes terribly wrong. It is either not enforced, like oil rig safety regulations, or there is such an overabundance of bureaucracy involved that the companies barely break even. This actors choice to participate in condomless shoots, which pay more, and the companies failure to catch the original actor with the disease may change your favorite porn for ever.
It appears my first assumption about the “aids hippies” who were targeting Larry Flint and his companies may have been incorrect. Clearly I was unaware of the potential risks involved and obviously the lack of testing on the companies part. I will say that the industry itself is handling the entire situation quite well and is certainly looking out for their actors, as they should, but it is a shame that it took someone getting the worst STD possible for that to happen. ”How many more people have to be infected with HIV before Los Angeles County steps in to do its job and protect performers’ and the public’s health?” asked Michael Weinstein, president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
Source: SF Gate
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Good article and great topic choice. I am alway up for a long hard porn discussion. I fully recognize the importance of safe sex; however your article opened my eyes to the role the porn industry may play considering the majority of porn scenes are unprotected. Over 10 years ago, I knew a man living with AIDS (before improved medications) which emphasized safe sex. As a porn enthusiast, I viewed unprotected porn sex as a fantasy not a role model. Perhaps if not for my personal experience with a person struggling with AIDS, porn would have contributed to a negative feeling towards condoms and a belief that nobody really uses them. Obviously, nobody sexually prefers condoms but I personally prefer the disease free peace of mind afterglow.
Does the porn industry have a responsibility to visually endorse safe sex? The industry obviously requires STD testing but is that enough? Clearly, this is just the tip of the discussion. Personally, I find a deep penetration of this ethical debate exciting and I really hope others participate. Though stroking my own thoughts would not be my first solo experience (or my last).
After theoretically experimenting with public policy (which reminded me of my college years), I formulated an orgy of ideas and wanted a nap. My favorite position would require a safe sex classification for porn, only if teenagers could legally possess and purchase safe sex labeled porn.
I sincerely thank anyone who is still reading and please continue because I'm almost coming… to my conclusion. I believe sex education is a gaping hole of embarrassment for this country. Perhaps a safe sex porn label for teenagers would foster a change from the Puritanical culture of today.
Does the porn industry have more responsibility to younger porn enthusiasts? Do you think teenagers should legally be allowed to view porn? Is unprotected sex in porn similar to cigarette smoking in movies? Should the government get involved? I showed you my opinions please show me yours.
I realize that most people prefer to watch porn where the actors do not wear condoms, but the only sure way to prevent HIV infection and protect the actors is to wear condoms. I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume that many in the porn industry have sex addictions, but I very well could be incorrect on that. If porn stars are ONLY having sex with other porn stars who are strictly monitored for STD's it's easier to control outbreaks.
The fact of the matter is that I'm sure they have plenty of sex (again could be wrong) with other non porn stars who are not monitored so closely, if at all. So, the “testing “in the porn industry although it sounds good in theory is 100% false sense of security.
HIV's antibodies can take up to six months to show up in a blood test. If some actors are having unprotected sex with random people (not saying they all are) in-between the 30 days they test and contract AIDS or any other STD then they go to work on a porn set and have unprotected sex with multiple people then people will get infected. It's not a matter of “if” it's a matter of “when ".
The industry cannot control what the actors do in their personal lives, nor should they. With that being said the ONLY way for porn stars to proactively protect themselves is to wear condoms on set.
The truth about Michael Weinstein: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9MOWF94_II
Awesome video! Thanks for sharing