Yesterday, many performers, directors, studio owners, lawyers, agents, activists (for both sides) and one publicist (that would be me) attended the CalOSHA meeting in Downtown Los Angeles at the Department of Transportation. The turnout was amazing, because it’s become very serious what The Pink Cross and AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) are trying to do to our industry–and that would be trying to systematically take us down.
Many topics were covered in the meeting including condom using, hazardous waste (that includes clothing and other surfaces covered in bodily fluids), testing after oral sex and who would be paying for all these changes. It was suggested that we form a union, and tried to tell us that we’re not independent contractors. The ladies running the meeting seemed to be such so stuck in terminology, until we questioned it. There was a 17-page syllabus that was supposed to be covered in 5 hours and that was definitely not happening.
Our voice was loud and clear, no matter how many times they tried to shut us down. Alia Janine, John Magnum, Danny Wylde, Nina Hartley, Christian Mann, Tommy Gunn, Ella Darling spoke up and defended our rights. Shy Love spoke out about doing thousands of scenes and never getting an STD, to which Shelley Lubbin tried to counteract with how she has Herpes in her throat. Someone needs to tell her that 90% of the population has it in their mouths and it’s not an STD. It was also priceless when Shy Love informed Miss Lubben that she should stop playing a porn star at Porn Star Karaoke, if she really doesn’t want to be one or be in our industry. Derek Hay of L.A. Direct also raised some good points and had provocative questions. Other people in attendance included Brooke Haven, Jessica Drake, Brad Armstrong, Christian XXX, Mo from Madness Pictures, Lily Cade, Eli Cross, Paul Cambria, Michael Fattorosi, Marcus London, Devon Lee, Charlie Ninja, Steviee, Dan and Moose from Girlfriends Films, Bill Marigold, Nicki Hunter, Mark Kernes of AVN, Mark Speigler, Mean Bitches Glenn, Ernest Greene, Diane Duks, Joanne Cachapero and many more.
The outcome is more deliberation, meetings and back-and-forthing will be taking place. The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has our backs and I think the future meetings will be well attended by the industry. What can you do in the meantime? Join FSC: http://freespeechcoalition.com/joinmembership.html, and more importantly write to CalOSHA and let your voice be heard. Ask them questions and take a stand. Email the Subcommittee Director at dgold@dir.ca.gov. Questions about FSC can be directed to Joanne at joanne@freespeechcoalition.com. If you care about your job, this industry and the people in it, don’t be silent–let CalOSHA and even Pink Cross and AIDS Healthcare Foundation know what they’re doing is wrong. As an industry, we’ve done a great job with the system we’ve had for 15 years and only have one case of HIV every 5 years (on average). That’s pretty astounding considering that there were 20,000 performers in the AIM Database at one point and countless scenes are filmed each day, week and month. STDs come from outside the industry, not from within. Know the facts and fight the good fight, people. If these measures pass there will be less overall testing and porn companies will move out of state or go underground, which is unsafe for everyone.