Saying it is unconstitutional, an adult film company has filed a federal lawsuit to block the new Los Angeles County law that mandates actors wear condoms when participating in sex scenes. Universal City-based Vivid Entertainment LLC claims that the Measure B condom requirement passed by voters last fall violates actors' rights to free speech and expression. “Overturning this law is something I feel very passionate about. I believe the industry's current testing system works well,” Steven Hirsch, founder and co-chairman of Vivid, said in a written statement. The push for Measure B was led by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which issued a statement saying the measure is not directed at First Amendment rights but safety in a commercial enterprise. “Their First Amendment claims will likely ring hollow with the court,” Tom Myers, chief of public affairs and general counsel for the foundation, said in a statement. He continued: “In non-adult films, we don't let people take chances that can harm themselves or others, with pyrotechnics, for example, just because they feel their creativity or expression would be stifled.”
From Mr. Hirsch, you get the porn-party line. Now, here is the truth:
A recent study (2011) of Chlamydia and gonorrhea infection and re-infection rates for adult film industry performers from 2004-2008 revealed startling findings regarding the high rates of sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) in the adult film industry, said The Aids Healthcare Foundation. Among the findings: Chlamydia incidence in adult film performers was 8.5 times higher than the rate in Los Angeles County residents aged 18-29 and 34 times higher than in the general population. Gonorrhea incidence was 18 times higher in porn performers than Los Angeles County residents aged 18-29 and 64 times higher than in the general population.