LOS ANGELES — Equality California (EQCA), the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization, has voted to OPPOSE a state ballot initiative that would allow private citizens to sue and harass adult performers when a condom is not visible in an adult film.
In a letter to Secretary of State Alex Padilla opposing the initiative, Rick Zbur, Executive Director of Equality California, wrote how the Proposition would negatively impact working environments for adult performers:
“Rather than curbing transmission of HIV and protecting performers, Proposition 60’s broad private right of action will drive production underground or out of state, and out of reach of California’s health and worker protection safeguards. By driving production away from regulations that require and encourage safer-sex practices in adult film production, Proposition 60 will exacerbate the very problem it purports to address.”
Eric Paul Leue, campaign manager for Californians Against Worker Harassment, applauded the decision to oppose.
“This initiative has broad opposition from the LGBTQ communities, in addition to the performers themselves. Michael Weinstein, the sole proponent of this measure, continues to disregard the very real dangers this poorly written initiative creates for adult industry workers, including public harassment, outing, and profiteering. We are proud to have Equality California stand beside us against this ugly, offensive, and dangerous initiative.”
In addition to Equality California, the initiative has been opposed by a diverse and bipartisan coalition, including California Democratic Party, the California Republican Party, the California Libertarian Party, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, the LA LGBT Center, AIDS Project Los Angeles, the LA Commission on HIV (recommending that the LA County Board of Supervisors oppose the initiative as part of their legislative slate), the Transgender Law Center, the Adult Performer Advocacy Committee (APAC), the Valley Industry and Commerce Association (VICA), the Free Speech Coalition and Senator Mark Leno.
The full text of the Equality California’s letter of opposition is available here.
CONTACT
Mike Stabile
Communications Director, Free Speech Coalition
mike@freespeechcoalition.com
818.650.1973
Paid for by Californians Against Worker Harassment, sponsored by the Free Speech Coalition