Not a shred of evidence exists in favor of the idea that life is serious - Brendan Gill 723 Posts 4/09
Posted - Jun 22 2009 : 10:48AM
Among all of these justifications for unsafe sex in adult films: that it is not really that risky; that the viewers’ arousal and producers’ profit takes precedence over performers safety, no one has said or can honestly say that there is no risk. Adult actors form a relatively closed community. While the HIV testing interval of 30 days is far from adequate protection, it is better than nothing. These factors do reduce the risk of HIV infection, but past and current events prove that the risk is still there. The best HIV test will detect the virus from 10 to 14 days after infection happens. Potentially, therefore, a porn actor, once infected, could infect others for up to 30 days before being diagnosed and quarantined and the others he infects could in turn spread the infection for up to a month. The number of potential infections after that goes up exponentially. It is unlikely to happen. But, so was the mutation of a relatively harmless virus affecting monkeys into a human virus that has killed millions of people. So was the 1918 flu epidemic that killed 50 million and the 14th century plague that wiped out half of Europe. Each of these disasters started with a confluence of events so unlikely that no one imagined they were possible. Here we are debating a risk that is far from unimaginable; a risk that can easily be very greatly reduced. And what is the central argument against reducing that risk? It is that the prurience, the visual stimulation of porn will be reduced by the occasional glimpse of a condom on a dick. I hope all of you are right, that this industry, which continues to risk the health of its employees needlessly, never has cause to regret it. It is certain, though, that should the unlikely occur and the Adult Community be devastated by AIDS, many of you on this forum will, if you think about it at all, excuse yourselves from any responsibility for it, and go on protesting safe sex practices in porn because they interrupt your masturbatory fantasies and it takes you 15 minutes to whack off instead of 10 minutes. It’s not that you are selfish and without compassion? Yes, it is. I am done here (you’re welcome). What jokes you make and your dazzling put downs of me and my postings will no doubt entertain your cohorts, but I won’t bother with them myself. I have argued here only in the probably vain hope that even one person in this business has followed this thread and will take a precaution that saves them from a lifetime of anxiety, crushing expense, suffering, and terrible regret. It’s a frustrating effort because I can never know if I did any good by it. I am glad to have made it nonetheless. I am grateful to ADT for permitting my postings here and for providing a forum in which it is possible to communicate with those in the business. I wish everyone in this industry the very best of health, prosperity , and contentment. You do important work by bringing a unique and vital pleasure to millions, and my greatest hope for you is that I am and always continue to be wrong in fearing for your safety.
^ A deep sigh of exasperation followed by an "I give up, I did what I could" attitude really doesn't lend more or less credibility to your opinion. Your central argument is that one life lost is one life too many. Do you invest the same amount of effort cautioning porn stars to wear their seat belts on the way to work? For MILFs to get mammograms regularly? For *all* talent to get regular well-doctor visits (and not just their monthly STDs; after all, very few full time sex workers have any real form of health insurance.) To REALLY work to avoid the temptation of drug use? HIV infection is one risk amongst incalculable risks even *normal* people take every day. That we can number those infected on one hand each year speaks to the effectiveness of AIDS prevention already in place in the industry. This recent case shows that one woman, who apparently was infected outside of the industry did work, with nobody else infected. Folks, HIV is real, and if you have sex at all you run the risk of being infected. Be safe about picking your partners and activities, don't share needles, get tested regularly, and don't take risks you're not comfortable taking. It's your body, you only get one of them for as long as you live. Make informed decisions that you are comfortable with. Johnq
^^^^ I totally agree. No one is compelled to be a porn star. If a girl thinks that no-condom sex on camera is too risky, she might want to consider, as an alternative, a career as a librarian or an accountant.
And that is why I think a condom's optional policy, except where maybe Wicked is concerned, is a joke. The option simply doesm't really exist with opinions like that influencing decisions.
