Earlier this month, a new law went into effect in Los Angeles mandating condom usage for adult film stars. Yup, California is now 'policing the porn business.' The law is intended to protect the actors and actresses from contracting any sexually transmitted diseases. In 2004, five people in the California porn industry contracted HIV, prompting a voluntary 60-day shutdown by the studios.
What happened to ‘my body, my choice’? Porn star Kayden Kross told Fox Business Network’s John Stossel, “... a third party stepped in and created, essentially, a crisis that wasn’t there.” She also pointed out that the studios require all their actors to test every 28-30 days, and they do so without any law requiring it.
Adult film stars are adults, free to make their own decisions. They don’t go into that line of work without understanding the potential consequences, and that’s a risk they’re willing to take. Their decisions, their bodies, their choices.
In the wake of the condom mandate, many of the Los Angeles-based studios have threatened to leave the Golden State and relocate in Arizona. So now the law is not only violating the personal freedoms of individuals, it’s also driving business out of a state that is losing business like my dryer loses socks.
They might need to find somewhere else to go, because Arizona has some pretty strict pornography laws. Maricopa County Bill Montgomery says his office is ready to prosecute anyone that breaks those laws. He says:
Under Arizona law, anyone paid to appear in a pornographic movie may be guilty of the crime of prostitution, which carries mandatory jail time as well as the possibility of other penalties ... Arizona law precludes the establishment of a 'pornography industry' to any degree such as that present in California.
The whole thing might be a moot point anyway, because the LA City Attorney’s Office has not been willing to commit the resources necessary to "inspect" porn sets to make sure the new law is being followed. I’d love to see that guy’s business card ... “Joe Schmoe -- Condom Inspector.”
For now the law seems to be a symbolic one, but I agree with Free Speech Coalition executive director Diane Duke, who said upon its passage:
Government regulation of sexual behavior between consenting adults is, and has always been, a bad idea. The government has no business in our bedrooms -- real or fantasy.
What do you think? Is a condom law a good or bad idea?
Image via Kain Road Cul de Sac/Flickr
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Comments 44
It's okay Jenny, you don't need to worry about this at all. If Santorum gets into power he's pledged to shutdown the porn industry (http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/President/2012/0317/Rick-Santorum-vows-to-end-pandemic-of-pornography.-Could-he-prevail ) . It's part of his "job creation" platform. Oh no, wait, the unemployment rate doesn't matter and neither does the economy.
Also, you forgot to blame Obama directly for this one. You're slipping.
Haha Procrastamom! She is slipping. Yet another ridiculous Jenny article.
I'm torn on this. I completely agree that these people go into this line of working knowing full well what the consequences are and I don't want the government dictating what goes on in the bedroom.
Having said that, I think Lilias hit the nail on the head. This isn't behind closed doors, it's a workplace, and there's no reason that the porn industry should be exempt from safety regulations anymore than a construction worker.
On a more personal level, I'm happy about this law because maybe the more they see them being used, the more they'll equate condom usage with being "normal" and that sex can still feel good using one. The more you see something, the more positively you tend to feel about it, so that could potentially be a great advantage.
It really pisses me off when the porn industry says that it'll "ruin" the business. Seriously? A CONDOM is going to ruin porn? Thinking safe sex can't be "hot" is exactly why so many people don't use them in the first place! So...personally, I'm mostly in favor of this. But I absolutely understand the outrage over the government meddling in this business.