This is a solid piece written by Aria Aspen. I wish all porn performers were as smart and saw this the way she does.
My Thoughts on Measure B – A Rock & A Hard Place
Pay attention, I am Pro-Choice. This means that I support a woman’s right to have an abortion. However, I have never had an abortion, and I will never get an abortion. I am appalled by them & my CHOICE is to never have one, provided I am never impregnated via rape or some other terrible extraneous circumstance. But I believe everyone should CHOOSE for themselves, so I am Pro-Choice.
Now that I’ve stated that, let’s move forward. ***I am AGAINST government mandate.*** I feel like every performer should have equal right to get it on with or without a condom. Hence, I am PRO-CHOICE! But the fact of the matter is, the performers do not have an equal say-so. Anyone who has half a brain and has spent a significant amount of time in the porn industry is blatantly aware of the biases that some companies hold against condom use. They claim it hurts their sales. They claim it messes up the pop shot. Whatever their belief is, they frown upon talent using condoms, but can’t necessarily broadcast that from the top of a mountain.
If you’d like to hear my personal opinion, I hate condoms. I threatened my fiance when we first started dating and he came near me with a condom. Those things are like fucking with garbage bags on. BUT, when I was actively working in the industry, I would have GREATLY appreciated a GENUINE opportunity to opt for a condom. My reasons are irrelevant, the bottom line is that I was forced into submission by being in between a rock & a hard place. You can either be a condom-only talent, and lose a VERY significant portion of your work. Or, you can bite the bullet, go against what you believe, work without a condom, and get on with your porn career.
The main argument against this is that there are talent who choose to remain G/G, B/G, not do anal, do IR, etc. These are all choices, and this choice can also cost someone work. This is correct. However, these choices are apples & oranges. Choosing the type of scene you are okay with is a comfort level based decision. Also, people add or subtract job types over time. BUT, choosing to put your safety first & opting for a condom on set should not cost you work. That is a personal safety choice, not a comfort level issue. Choosing a condom should be your RIGHT, not a comfort.
We have performers standing firmly against this Measure B, and we have performers who are for it. We also have performers who will say they are against it, and secretly vote for it. This is because we have talent who will work without a condom, but are secretly very upset that they do not have more say-so in demanding to use one.
So, we are here. You have backed a portion of the talent pool into a corner by ignoring company biases for SO LONG that they now are willing to let the government step in to mandate condom use. Maybe this is something you guys should’ve seen coming? Again, I am anti-government mandate. I support the choice. And maybe everyone needs to put their differences aside, and come up with a better method of PROVIDING THE CHOICE in the adult industry
One Response
I think it’s fair to say that no one wants MORE government trying to control any aspect of their life. We are all adults who should be able to make up our own minds about everything. However, the problem is the adult industry isn’t able to take care of itself in any capacity, thus the need for a government baby sitter. Of course the new baby sitter won’t stop the baby from falling down and getting a boo-boo, but it will be in the room and possibly try to prevent the child from running around like an idiot in the first place.
If the industry was responsible and actually put the health of the performers first, they would not be in this situation. Instead of you infections getting swept under the rug, bribes, lies, performers given a false sense of security, incomplete testing, inept and corrupt organizations trying to control everything, and generally people who care for nothing other than money, even if it comes at the cost of the health of the performers. This is why you are going to be regulated, and it is well deserved.