Adult Actors Protest Prop 60 Condom Measure in Hollywood, Porn Sites Go Dark

HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES — Approximately 100 adult performers stood on West Sunset Boulevard on Monday to protest Proposition 60, the Safer Sex in the Adult Film Industry Act, which would require porn actors to use condoms while engaged in intercourse on screen.

Several porn sites also went dark and carried out a virtual strike to protest against the Prop 60 state bill by blocking access to California IP addresses.

“Proposition 60 creates a cottage industry of harassment where any California resident, if they watch a porn and if a condom isn’t visible — even if it’s been used in the film — can take it to court,” adult film actress Ela Darling, 30, told Breitbart News. Darling, who has been working in the porn industry for almost 7 years, also serves as the president of the Adult Performer Advocacy Committee and the Virtual Reality Content Manager at Cam4VR.

She and the other performers rallied in front of the headquarters of the “Yes on 60 Campaign,” which are also the offices of Dr. Michael Weinstein — the man who leads the Aids Healthcare Foundation and has so far poured over $5 million in funds from the AHF into TV ads supporting Proposition 60. The adult performers argued that Proposition 60 would leave the adult film industry susceptible to lawsuits from the general public because it essentially allows for anyone in California to sue them and would subsequently place them at risk by making their personal information public on court documents.

Additionally, under the measure, 25 percent of any fines produced as a result of judgment would go towards the plaintiff and 75 percent would go to the State of California.

According to Vocativ, porn sites like Vivid Video, Evil Angel, Kink, Pink & White Productions, and Treasure Island Media blocked California IP addresses in protest to the measure.

Proposition 60 will appear on the November 8 ballot. On social media, the #NoOnProp60 hashtag garnered results with pictures from the rally:

https://twitter.com/zzalias4/status/788132740579270656

https://twitter.com/TaraLynnFoxx/status/788125262231642112

At the rally, Eric Paul Leue, the Executive Director of the Free Speech Coalition, argued that Proposition 60 would allow Weinstein to overrule California OSHA, the Department of Public Health, and the State Attorney General. “It would give him a lifetime appointment in the state government, with unrestricted access to state funds,” Leue said. “This is not a Democratic position. This is not a Republican position. This is a dictatorial position,” he said, adding, “we cannot allow him to carry out his personal crusade using taxpayer dollars.”

Darling told Breitbart News her view that “Wesintein would become an agent of the state of California. He’s essentially inspecting porn stars’ genitals. How many public resources are we going to spend so that he can police porn stars?” She explained that she prefers not to use condoms while working, “but if my partner does, we absolutely do. Most people prefer not to use a condom because it’s the nature of the work.” She added, “When you use condoms, the friction from the latex ends up creating abrasions inside your vagina which is not pleasant. And those abrasions make you more susceptible to yeast infections and leaves the person at a higher risk for contacting a STI” (sexually transmitted infection).

Darling noted that she’s never personally contracted an STI.

Spokesperson and Communications Director for the Free Speech Coalition, Michael Stabile, told Breitbart News that “there hasn’t been an on-set HIV transmission of the disease since 2004.” He added that “performers get tested every 14 days.”

The California Republican Party, the California Democratic Party and the California Libertarian Party have all opposed Proposition 60.

Los Angeles County’s Measure B, which passed in 2012, currently requires adult film actors to use condoms while taping. However, that law is knowingly ignored by many producers. Weinstein was behind Measure B’s passage.

Opponents of Proposition 60 are similarly concerned that the measure would push porn producers out of the Golden State, costing California millions in revenues from the highly-lucrative industry.

Weinstein has reportedly declined to debate members of the porn industry on this issue.

Asked if she knows any porn actors who support Proposition 60, Darling said, “There’s nobody I know who actively performs who supports this.”

Last month, the Sacramento Bee published an op-ed by former adult performer Derrick Burts, who tested positive for HIV in 2010 after working in both gay and straight pornographic films. “After a short time in the business I got HIV, chlamydia and gonorrhea,” Burts wrote. “Did I get any sympathy or real support from my bosses? Not at all. They kicked me to the curb and moved on to the next young performer. I was just another expendable pretty boy in the industry’s ruthless drive for profits.” Burts is supporting Proposition 60.

Nina Hartley, a 32-year veteran of the porn industry and the author of several books, including “Nina Hartley’s Guide to Total Sex,” told Breitbart News that in her experience in the industry, there is more rigorous testing for STDs in straight porn versus in gay porn. Various op-eds have suggested the same thing.

Hartley, who is vigorously opposed to Proposition 60, told Breitbart News, “clearly it’s a slut-shaming law. Michael [Weinstein] has a God complex.” She said the measure “turns everyone into a condom cop,” adding, “in this situation, Michael Weinstein is Captain Ahab and the porn industry is Moby Dick.” Hartley also noted that “Iknowmystatus.com lets everybody test like a porn star.”

Follow Adelle Nazarian on Twitter and Periscope @AdelleNaz.