This afternoon I tweeted the following thoughts on the current condom/testing issues at hand with the adult industry right now. A Twitter follower named @xXEnthusiast was kind enough to give his two cents. Whilst I don’t really care what fucktards think or say, it never hurts to tell it like it is and maybe dispell a few myths along the way… and I wanted to reply in a more civilized fashion that didn’t require 140 characters or less.
My first tweet:
@kylieireland: Most HIV cases on record were ppl trying to break INTO the biz, not ppl IN the biz. Stopped them be4 they got in. PROVES our system WORKS.
His reply (via Twitlonger):
@XxEnthusiast If people “breaking in” introduced HIV to the industry, the system clearly doesn’t work. Not to mention gonzo sets, unsanitary conditions, the increasing rate of STI and the astonishing statistic that over half of performers have some form of herpes whether oral or genital. Hence the need for mandatory condoms in porn, regardless of the fantasy. I know this because i used to audit adult clinics for the state.
Let’s break this down, shall we?
“If people “breaking in” introduced HIV to the industry, the system clearly doesn’t work.”
Is that what I said? No. Read it again. I said people TRYING to break in, who then were required to get a mandatory test to work in the industry. On the occasion people have attempted to get into the adult business with HIV (a fact they probably weren’t aware of), it was detected ahead of time and that person was stopped before performing. Testing protected those in the industry and prevented the spread of HIV. Therefore: the system WORKS.
“Not to mention gonzo sets…”
I have performed on HUNDREDS of ‘gonzo’ sets and have DIRECTED over 50 gonzo titles. All talent I worked with/hired always had the required PCR/DNA HIV STD tests, good within the mandatory 30 day time. If they didn’t, I wouldn’t work with them (as a performer), nor would I allow them to perform on my set (as a director). Even if I had worked with them before or if they were a friend.
“…unsanitary conditions…”
You mean, like my home? I lived in a 10K sq ft loft in downtown for nearly 10 years that we lived in and shot hundreds of movies in. We also rented it out as a location to adult productions and mainstream.
“…the increasing rate of STI…”
First of all, every case of STDs reported, is a case of STDs being stopped and treated. Hmmm, that might be the system working again, wouldn’t it? When someone comes up positive for an STD in adult, it is common practice to let the past few people you worked with know so they can get tested as well. That is not a requirement, that is done because we care about our fellow performers.
I don’t believe it is any worse in current years than than in past, perhaps the numbers seem higher due to the fact that there are so many more performers in the adult industry now than say, 10 years ago? Odd that no one ever mentions THAT in their statistics, do they?
“…astonishing statistic that over half of performers have some form of herpes whether oral or genital…”
Without seeing these “astonishing statistics” I can’t have an opinion on this. Although I would like to see those same statistics on the general public and see how ASTONISING those might be. But, oh, that’s right; the general public isn’t tested, now are they? Not that statistics can’t be reported cleverly to benefit the party presenting them…
“Hence the need for mandatory condoms in porn…”
What, do we need a fucking babysitter? And mandatory condoms are going to protect us from all this evil? Then by all means, shut down all the testing systems and go condoms only. For your information the business has gone through periods of condom-only shooting and survived just fine. Listen, we all know this bullshit is going on in an effort to make it look like the government, the state, the city, whatever…actually appear like they CARE, but they don’t, and you don’t. The bottom line here is that adult performers are well aware of the risks of what they do, which is why we adhere to our mandatory system of ridged testing. Companies, performers, directors all care about themselves enough to take precautions to the extent we feel necessary.
Being an adult performer is much like being a race car driver. They know the risks, yet they go out on that track every race and use as much precaution as they can. At any moment, the steering or brakes could fail, or another car could slam into them…but this is a risk the driver is aware of, and a chance he is willing to take. For your entertainment.
“I know this because i used to audit adult clinics for the state.”
Well, then. That certainly makes YOU an expert on our business doesn’t it??? You see us as numbers, not people. And the copious amount of time YOU spend on adult movie sets certainly makes YOU an expert doesn’t it? It’s like watching a documentary on snakes and considering yourself an expert snake handler.
My second tweet:
@kylieireland: Lest we 4get, WITHOUT industry testing, cases of STD/HIV would go unnoticed & spread. Test/quarantine/cure. Testing PROVES our system WORKS
@XxEnthusiast The testings are irregular, and not every producer holds them to standard. Dealing with your AAA studios sure, but they only make up a minority of the adult industry now.
And again, let’s break it down…
“The testings are irregular…”
Every 30 days is irregular? And now Manwin (Brazzers, Digital Playground, etc) is requiring performers to be tested ever 2-3 weeks. They even offer to pay for tests.
I got into the adult industry in March of 1994. Ever since I have been in this industry, testing has been required every 30 days. Even before Sharon Mitchell formed AIM Healthcare (which you people hammered into the ground with bullshit ‘legal’ proceedings until they were forced into bankruptcy – a fabulous example of how you really do care about the adult industry, by taking away our trusted testing system – yeah, thanks for that) …where was I? Oh yes, even before AIM Healthcare was formed, the industry required mandatory 30 day testing. I can show you a monthly test for nearly 20 years. (Yes, I have a file with them.)
“…and not every producer holds them to standard…”
And you know this…how? Whilst I am sure there are a few that might not be as ridged about their paperwork, there are a few bad eggs in ANY industry. Just as there are people that were sexually abused children to be found in ANY business (another common misconception about adult film performers, that we were all abused as children) and just as you would find drug addicts and alcoholics in ANY industry. But it’s more fun to point fingers at porn stars isn’t it?
And, I would like to point out, that if there are producers that “don’t hold the testing to standard”, it is also up to the performer(s) to care enough about themselves to say NO. No one is forced to work with anyone or do anything they don’t want to.
“Dealing with your AAA studios sure, but they only make up a minority of the adult industry now.”
Do they? Can you back that information up? Sure, there are the powerhouses like Wicked, Vivid, Hustler and Evil Angel etc but what smaller company who is trying to make it is going to risk their company in such a competitive and shrinking market? Do you think performers don’t talk about sets they have been on to each other? That agents aren’t knowledgeable about good companies vs. bad ones? Are you aware of the fact that without proper paperwork/2257s you can’t sell your product to cable, VOD, foreign markets or even post it on the internet? I didn’t think so.
I challenge you to go out to a bar, event, or even go online looking for a date or even a random sexual encounter…is THAT person going to have a current PCR-DNA HIV test and a full panel of STDs? Most likely not. In fact I would bet my bottom dollar that your precious statistics would prove quite the opposite. I would also be willing to bet that the statistics on HIV and STDs would be higher due to lack of public testing. And don’t even try to preach to me about the public using condoms… even if you had a statistic for that you have no proof at all whatsoever the individuals polled didn’t lie…
Clearly you (and many others) think we adult performers are all a bunch disease riddled degenerates wallowing around blissfully in a cesspool of drugs, abuse and other assorted slime. Clearly you think adult performers, (and for that matter ANYONE who works within the adult industry) are vapid individuals, driven by lust and greed, not able to think for ourselves, or care about the health and safety of others, let alone our own health and safety. Therefore we need you to regulate it for us! Praise be! We have been saved!
*facepalm*
Let me ask you this: are we hurting anyone? Are we spreading some imaginary disease to the masses? Are we breaking any major laws? Does our life affect YOU at all? No. And, yes I am including you in this, dear @xXEnthusiast, because you are part of this group of people who is too busy trying to appear morally superior, poking their noses into a place where they don’t belong, a place that doesn’t affect or concern you and trying to set up a plan to “save” the adult industry… which will in effect, put it out of business. Putting thousands and thousands of people out of work, companies out of business and remove an industry that legally feeds the economy. But that IS the goal right? Putting us out of business? Not that you will of course, in reality you will just force the adult industry to go underground, where you can’t regulate it, where you can’t tap it for your precious skewed statistics and, in effect make it unsafe. Good job. Pat yourself on the back.
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You can’t get caught up in lunatic fanboy talk. This is the same kind of guy that gets angry and jealous if his favorite cam whore does a B/G scene. The thing keeping him from being a stalker is the the same thing keeping him from talking to a real live chick, lack of balls.