How We Could Have Avoided This and What Should Be Done

It’s probably too late but at least going forward we might be able to put together something that will work.

The first thing that needs to be addressed is what the protocol for a positive test should be, and how to get the information out to those who need it.  This whole Idea of trust us we know but we cant tell you but we will protect you reeks of TASS and North Korean Politics.  There are legal means to release this information, maybe it means if you don’t sign a waiver agreeing to make your positive results public to the industry then you don’t get added to the database, and if you aren’t in the database you cant work.  It can be done.  Its time for Jeffery Douglas or someone over there to get off his ass and figure this out.

The second thing that needs to be addressed is the crossover of gay male talent.  Like it or not this poses a HUGE threat to the safety of our industry.  Many gay performers are HIV positive, the gay side doesn’t generally test and despite what they say they do not always use condoms.  At the very least gay performers should be required to disclose to potential partners that they are working in gay porn AND the gay porn industry should adopt the same testing regimen and practices that straight porn uses.

HIV testing on the spot needs to be explored as a possibility, the tests exist and they aren’t expensive but application and distribution would have to be coordinated through AIM/AHF  Companies should pay for testing.

Personally I think it’s time to address the drug issue as well.  testing for injectable, illegal drugs, including cocaine, heroin and meth should probably be required.

And we need to take better care of our talent.  AIM/AHF should be able to set up a really good health insurance provider at a very reasonable cost.  There are a lot of people in this industry and it is time we used the power of these numbers to help us.

Until prostitution becomes legal we need to put a stop to so called talent agents running de facto brothels.  This is going to bite us HARD.  I don’t have any problem with prostitution but we are asking for trouble when we as an industry turn a blind eye to the pimps being the very people we are using as talent agents.  If we want to be treated like a legitimate business we had better start acting like one.

For years I have been saying that if we don’t police ourselves the government is going to do it for us and for years it has fallen on deaf ears even though it’s happening more and more everyday.

Had we done this stuff already we wouldn’t have left the door open for AHF, we could demonstrate that we have acted responsibly and that we do not pose a threat to the public health.  As it stands we look like fools.  Because we have been fools.

Is anyone going to wise up?