Fresh, Hip and Healthy

We learned about this story thanks to our friends at the Red Pump Project.  No judgement to all of its fans, but the porn industry is just a big gonorrhea outbreak waiting to happen. Someone had to say it. I understand that porn actors are required to undergo routine testing, but the window and opportunity for disease transmission is just too great.  This article also makes me question what types of “guidelines” are in place re: actors and their conduct in their personal relationships.  Although this story is disturbing, it has prompted potentially effective policy action. A local health advocacy group has moved to place a measure on next year’s Los Angeles city ballot requiring adult film performers to use condoms. Earlier this month, they announced that it will gather 41,138 petition signatures to get the issue of condoms in porn on the June 2012 ballot. Too little, too late – but I am happy that some positive action has come from these types of issues.

Courtesy of ABC-7 (Los Angeles - KABC):

An adult film performer has tested positive for HIV, prompting an industry-wide shut down.Production of most adult films has stopped in Southern California while the performer is re-tested. The name and gender of the performer is not being released. If the initial case is confirmed, the group will ask two generations of the person’s sexual partners to get tested, meaning those who had sex with the performer and the sexual partners of those who had sex with the performer. The voluntary industry shutdown affects porn producers in the San Fernando Valley, the heart of the multi-billion dollar American porn industry. The porn industry was shut down similarly in late 2010, after a porn actor was diagnosed HIV positive. A health advocacy group is hoping to place a measure on next year’s Los Angeles city ballot requiring adult film performers to use condoms. Earlier this month they announced that it will gather 41,138 petition signatures to get the issue of condoms in porn on the June 2012 ballot.