NL- I got an ad from Pink Cross that uses lots of exaggerated statements in trying to drum up donations. I asked Michael Whiteacre what he thought about it. Here is his response, along quotes from the ad–
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Shelley Lubben, who claims to be God’s chosen missionary to the adult film industry, uses her once-a-year visit to her supposed mission field as the pretext for her latest appeal for cash – and dresses it up with ridiculous junk science and the self-serving declaration: “Pink Cross Foundation cares!”
“119 porn stars died from AIDS, suicide, homicide, drugs and premature deaths since 2007.”
Of course, people engaged in EVERY field of endeavor die; the relevant question is whether those deaths were directly attributable to their work. As far as I know there’s only ever been one death on an adult set – Taylor Summers’ death at a private bondage photo shoot – and not a single performer who can be demonstrated to have contracted HIV on an adult set has yet to die. Lubben’s bloated death list includes people like Anna Malle, who was killed in a car crash.
“Over 125 porn stars have died from AIDS.”
Even if true, one must show that they contracted AIDS because and while they were in porn, else the number is statistically useless. If a performer shoots a scene today, then later engages in behavior in his/her personal life that leads to him contracting a deadly illness, that’s not the fault of the adult industry. Once again, not a single performer who can be demonstated to have contracted HIV on an adult set has died – and because there is NO systematic, uniform, universal testing (i.e., screening and surveillance) on the gay side of the adult industry, it is nearly impossible to determine who had what at any relevant point in time, and who didn’t.
“70% of STDs occur in female porn stars.”
Another meaningless figure. The recent analysis of IAFD data also shows that 70% of porn performers have been female.
“2,396 cases of Chlamydia and 1,389 cases of Gonnorrhea reported among porn stars.”
This is also meaningless without proper (or, in this case, ANY) context. She does not list the time frame, or differentiate between “positive test results” and unique “reported cases,” and moreover she cannot demonstrate, other than by inference, what percentage of these sexually active people (who live in a region where STI rates are sky high because their public health institutions have utterly failed them) actually contracted these all-too-common infections on set.
“Will you partner with us to reach out and rescue these precious people out of porn before it’s too late??”
That sure sounds ominous… Before it’s too late for what? Does Lubben mean “before every single performer learns the truth that I’m an expltive fraud?” Shelley has been at this since 2004 and has yet to rescue a single performer out of porn. Instead, she collects (and/or re-writes) “testimonies” from disgruntled ex-performers, or concocts misleading stories that seem to indicate that performers have retired and are affiliated with Pink Cross (see: Erin Moore https://www.lukeisback.com/2011/09/erin-moore-is-baaack-again/ )
“WHAT WE NEED:
* Books on recovery from sexual trauma, addiction, grief, women’s journals and devotions
* Finances to pay for the Booth rental
* Pink Cross team members travel expenses
* Printing costs for pamphlets created especially for women who are sexually traumatized and infected with STDs
* Jewelry, Beauty Supplies or gifts to put in their Goody Bags
“That totals $4,000 that we need urgently to pay for our booth and gather supplies for the outreach.”
Okay – setting aside the implication that porn equals sexual trauma and grief — the Lubbens solicit money nearly EVERY DAY. Shelley posts idiotic videos with titles like “Ex-Porn Star Subjected to Poop” to drive donations. She sends out monthly email blasts to raise money for the sham non-profit that pays her salary. She promotes her Amazon wishlist constantly. However…
* Pink Cross has no office
* Pink Cross has no employees
* Shelley and her ex-drug dealer husband Garrett Lubben (who has been unemployed since October) can identify NO ONE in Pink Cross’ “care” (the unlicensed Pink Cross “Recovery Home” was shuttered in 2011)
* Her website does not require an expensive hosting plan
* Pink Cross has not appeared at a Los Angeles-area convention in two years
* Pink Cross has not appeared at the last two AEE shows in Las Vegas (the expos that feature the greatest number of adult industry members who would supposedly benefit from her “outreach”)
* The “care package” gift boxes of varying sizes that she sends out to a few dozen people a few times a year are filled with Dollar Store items that have been donated, along with CD-Rs containing “Shelley’s Story” that Lubben burns herself
* The vast majority of performers who have been affiliated with her maintain she is a heartless liar, fraud, user and con artist who raises money for the benefit of herself and her family, and does not forward donations of cash or gifts to the people for whom they were donated.
http://thehealingdiaries.blogspot.com/2012/01/why-i-left-pink-cross-foundation-part-1.html?m=1
http://thehealingdiaries.blogspot.com/2012/02/why-i-left-pink-cross-foundation-part-2.html?m=1
http://youtu.be/p1Z9bBokiGw
http://therealpornwikileaks.com/exclusive-porn-star-sierra-sinn-interview-shelley-lubben-ruined-my-life/
With all this in mind, ask yourself: where have all the donations to Pink Cross Foundation gone? Why do the Lubbens urgently need MORE money for “outreach”?
Hmmm, I wonder…
I, along with a group of adult performers, activists and allies, look forward to seeing Shelley at Adultcon, on March 22-24. It’ll be a grand time, and the photos and video will be priceless.