Wearing but a harness, the darling of gay porn Christian Wilde explains why — in no uncertain terms — he’s strongly opposed to CA AB 1576, the “condom bill” which would establish criminal penalties for any porn shoot where a performer choses not to wear a condom.
It would also require every performer to disclose sensitive personal and medical information to any studio they shoot for, and require any adult film producer to keep all performers’ personal medical information on file indefinitely.
Euphemistically being called the “Safer Sex in the Adult Film Industry Act’,” it is really anything but. Opposed by both porn performers and filmmakers because it puts performers’ health at risk, it would also effectively force the adult film industry in California to move out of state and even possibly go underground, putting thousands of people who work in the adult industry out of jobs as well as costing the state of CA millions (if not billions) in lost revenues.
After the jump, watch Christian’s impassioned plea against AB 1576, learn how certain parties (like Michael Weinstein’s AIDS Healthcare Foundation) stand to make a lot of money off this and what you can do to let your voice against this potentially disastrous bill to be heard.
Industry-backed site StopAB1576 offers several more important reasons why not only this bill should be opposed, but also some of the hidden agenda behind the people who are pouring tons of cash into passing this bill.
Why AB1576 Should Be Opposed (via StopAB1576:)
- The bill would require that a condom be worn for all vaginal and anal scenes. Performers would have no choice.
- The regulations imposed by this bill would force most companies to leave California. This would mean the loss of thousands of jobs — not only the jobs of performers, but also editors, makeup artist, graphic designers, marketing teams, IT experts, accountants, security guards, craft services, project managers, talent bookers … the list goes on and on.
- If the industry is forced to move out of state or underground, the already effective performer-developed and performer-enforced health and safety protocols the industry has in place will be jeopardized – meaning that this bill would actually reduce the on-the-job safety of those workers it claims to protect.
- The bill requires anyone identified as a “producer” to keep performer medical test results on file indefinitely every time a scene is filmed. This would include not only larger companies with stringent record keeping systems, but amateur producers who may not have the resources to keep sensitive medical information secure. The potential for privacy violations is frightening.
The Hidden Agenda: Why AB1576 Is Really Being Introduced:
- “[Michael Weinstein] concedes that the campaign is a public-relations windfall: ‘We got more publicity for safer sex and condoms than we ever could have gotten any other way.’” Seema Mehta and Abby Sewell, “Michael Weinstein, leader in AIDS movement, has hard-charging style”, Los Angeles Times (January 3, 2014)
- “This isn’t the first time AHF has fought progress by taking a position that ignores scientific evidence and sets it apart from the HIV/AIDS community. Some suggest the organization manufactures controversy to keep its name in the headlines and stay relevant.” James Loduca, Vice President, Philanthropy & Public Affairs at San Francisco AIDS Foundation, Unconditional Love and PrEP, Huffington Post (April 23, 2006).
- “Contrary to some high-minded 1st Amendment motivation, he’s shown to be a thug,’ the supervisor said of Weinstein. ‘He’s used his nonprofit organization in a crass and bullying political way to get his way, which is to avoid being held accountable.’” Abby Sewell, Animosity between head of AIDS group, L.A. County supervisor emerges, Los Angeles Times (February 12, 2014).
- “Mr. Weinstein’s anti-PrEP position is an extension of his long-standing anti-promiscuity crusade and more importantly his continuation of harmful shame tactics.” Michael Lucas, Op-Ed: The Danger in Calling PrEP a “Party Drug”, OUT Magazine (April 14, 2004).
If you want to stand with porn performers and producers to fight this terrifyingly egregious bill, check out these four things you can do to help.