What are your thoughts on the condom issues in porn?

Contributor: removedacnt removedacnt
On SexIs today, Roland Hulme wrote an article called "The Devil's Advocate: Porn Vs. Condoms—Should the Porn Industry Require Protection?"

In it he says, "Should porn performers use condoms? Surely the answer’s obvious."

What do you think?
03/21/2011
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Contributor: Jobthingy Jobthingy
I personally know a gay guy who is HIV positive and spent a good 5 years flying back and forth from here to San Fran to star in gay porn. At the time he knew full well he was positive (being diagnosed about 2 years prior), I have never seen any of his films to know whether he did use condoms (it is my daughters godfather.. so .. no) but that right there should be enough for someone to want to make sure they are covering up.

Sure some things can be cleared up with antibiotics but others cannot. I know too many people with HIV and full blown AIDS that it frightens me for the ones that do not use them.
03/21/2011
Contributor: AnnB AnnB
Quote:
Originally posted by removedacnt
On SexIs today, Roland Hulme wrote an article called "The Devil's Advocate: Porn Vs. Condoms—Should the Porn Industry Require Protection?"

In it he says, "Should porn performers use condoms? Surely the answer’s obvious."

What do you think?
Porn is about fantasies, which is good. What's not so good is that many people think of porn as instructional, or somehow realistic. Even when we know that what's happening in the video isn't what really happens in life, it's sometimes hard to remember when we're watching people doing it. So, even though porn isn't made for educational purposes, if viewers think of it that way, then it would be wonderful if pornographers and porn stars took that very, very seriously.

I think that performers should always use condoms. No responsible person risks spreading STIs of any kind, period. They should also use them because condom use should be normative. It should be something that absolutely everyone does, absolutely every time that they're with someone unless they're in 100% committed relationships. In porn, I think they should err on the side of "too safe" rather than "not safe at all."

There are ways to make condom use sexy and we should see a *lot* of that in porn. Then it would be easier for many people to find ways to use condoms in sexy, erotic and safe ways in real life.
03/21/2011
Contributor: sarahbear sarahbear
My issue has nothing to do with educating the masses who watch porn. I feel like porn is like any other job. There are regulations in place to keep employees safe (like hardhats, back braces, etc.)Porn should require regular testing and barriers for the safety of their employees.
03/21/2011
Contributor: markeagleone markeagleone
To me, it should be up to the individual actors and actresses. It's their choice and should remain their choice. For all I know , they could be in a relationship and it would be wrong to say they have to, but on the other hand, they are all adults. If they are unsure of their partner, then they have to make the call. It would be a severe infringement if they were told what to do, just as if someone told you, the individual, what to do.
03/21/2011
Contributor: joja joja
Quote:
Originally posted by markeagleone
To me, it should be up to the individual actors and actresses. It's their choice and should remain their choice. For all I know , they could be in a relationship and it would be wrong to say they have to, but on the other hand, they are all ... more
I agree in principle, although in practice this will likely lead to performers who are willing to work without them being more sought after. This happens a lot with dangerous acts such as large insertions, ass to mouth, ass to pussy, etc. The more risk they take, the more money they make.
03/21/2011
Contributor: removedacnt removedacnt
Does anyone think making performers use condoms will actually ever happen?
03/21/2011
Contributor: LicentiouslyYours LicentiouslyYours
Quote:
Originally posted by removedacnt
Does anyone think making performers use condoms will actually ever happen?
I think the likelihood is slim as who governs such things and how it's enforced is unclear. The industry would have to agree to self-police, since you can shoot anywhere and I image those against it would simply move their shoot location to someplace that doesn't require condom use.

I used to be on the side of mandatory condom use in porn, it seemed pretty obvious to me, but after reading some of the comments from industry folks (some of the same comments quoted in Roland's column, I don't think it's as cut and dried and given the environment and far-longer than average exposure during shoots—I'm not convinced mandatory condoms would make you safer.

Testing more often than every 30 days seems like a much better way to manage the risk. Belladonna's policy of testing 3 days before the shoot has kept her STI free for 5 years in an industry where STI's apparently come with your morning coffee.

It's a tough call, with less of a clear answer than I would have thought. Quite honestly, I am glad it's not a decision I have to make to earn a living.
03/21/2011
Contributor: married with children married with children
i think that if you are going to have more then one partner, then you should protect yourself and them.
03/22/2011
Contributor: hjtee hjtee
I think it comes down to personal choice.
If you know the people/person you are with on the set, and have been assured they are clean, they you should have the choice on whether or not you want to wear a condom.
That being said, I do think that all porn actors should be regularly checked for any issues.

I definitely don't think condoms should be required though. I would feel pretty crappy if someone came and told me that I *had* to use condom.
03/25/2011