EDITORIAL – Porn not safe without barrier equipment

An adult-film industry worker filed a complaint against Evasive Angels and TTB Productions…. An adult-film industry worker filed a complaint against Evasive Angels and TTB Productions. That complaint, coupled with four cases of HIV among adult film industry actors, led California state officials to conduct an investigation of the industry. The companies were finally fined more than $30,000 each for allowing actors to perform without using condoms.

The state Division of Occupational Health and Safety made the decision, and the companies have 15 days to appeal. According to state law, employers must protect workers who are exposed to blood or bodily fluids on the job. The companies were also cited for failure to notify authorities about actors who contracted HIV on the job.

For some time, health officials have been advising adult-film industry producers to encourage actors to practice safe sex — including using condoms — a requirement for all actors during filming. But producers believe that if viewers see condoms in the films, profits will suffer because customers do not want to see safe sex.

In a fantasy world where plumbers look like sexy calendar models and want to work on more than just the pipes, it is just part of the spontaneous nature of the script that neither party would worry about barrier equipment. But what if the doctors in the operating room were so passionate about saving a patient that they didn’t put gloves on? What if they just rushed into the operating room with a used medical apparatus from the last operation they performed? The truth is that those actors have lives outside the industry, and their jobs should not endanger those lives. There are workplace regulations for a reason — to keep people safe and alive.

These regulations also keep the adult-film industry alive and well. What would hurt profits more? Losing a few viewers who can’t stand the sight of some latex or losing actors to infections and paying off fines?

Hint: if people want to watch porn, they are going to watch porn regardless of the actors’ protective gear. And according to ABC News, the porn industry is grossing more money than the NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball combined. The news source also reveals that few of the companies provide health insurance, and most performers find they must work without condoms if they want to keep getting jobs.

Currently, about 17 percent of adult-film industry actors use condoms regularly. That’s probably such a low number of actors practicing safe sex because, according to producers, unsafe sex sells better than safe sex does. It’s a good thing that California’s government has made this unprecedented move in holding the companies and producers accountable. Knowing companies in the porn industry are being regulated as other businesses are will give actors peace of mind.

Just give the actor a condom and enforce its use! Safe sex is still good sex.