Kaderade’s Weblog

I was recently told that I had my facts wrong based on my last post on gay porn. Since I would never want to mislead you, I decided that it was time to do some investigative journalism and get to the bottom of this. This is a topic that I am becoming very passionate about, and I figured it was time to set the record straight with some information from reliable sources…

It was important to address the questions that people were calling me out on. Many said that gay porn studios absolutely require the testing of their performers. Well that is false. Some may, but it’s rare. I am certain of this fact after talking to people that were involved with the industry that wrote to me regarding the earlier blog entry. But I confirmed the fact when I turned to the source that would know best…AIM! The Adult Industry Medical Center is a testing and education center for porn actors, escorts, and people that are thinking about doing porn. The reason why it is such a reputable resource is because it was created by a former porn actress who devoted herself to reforming the very practices I am discussing and is operated by medical professionals. So I decided to give them a call and get some facts. They were so willing to share their knowledge and provide the information I needed. If you are considering doing porn make sure that you have all your facts first! It is a lifetime decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

When talking with one of their nurses, I asked a few questions concerning the testing of both gay and straight porn actors. The results were a bit shocking. The nurse told me that NONE of the major gay porn studios required the testing of their actors and that it was up to the performer if they wanted to be tested to see if they are still safe. They said that it is the straight porn studios that absolutely require testing. Although many of the straight studios require getting a certificate that they’ve been tested, they are easy to forge just by photocopying. She also said, amateur sites are very hard to monitor and are difficult to keep track of them all.

The nurse continued to talk about the risk that people take when considering to do gay porn…EVEN WITH A CONDOM!! The nurse said that there is no guarantee that the condom won’t break or that fluids won’t transmit. It is a barrier, but not one that is very reliable, especially when most studios try to use the thinnest condoms available. She also reminded me that not all STDs can be avoided by condoms alone. It was earth shattering to hear and to imagine people being so selfish as to put others in harms way.

Many porn studios will insist that they are safe…but their actions prove otherwise. Many of the major studios hire actors that have done bareback porn in the past. Just putting a condom on does not give total protection. HIV can also have a three month waiting time before an accurate diagnosis can be given. Brent Everett, Brent Corrigan, Jarod Steele, and Pierre Fitch are just a few of the popular bareback porn actors that have moved around from studio to studio. Their onscreen partners have since been partnered up with others as well. Which could possibly cause an outbreak in the future.

A quick search online will also show that a lot of these actors will escort strangers on the side. So, the diseases they get may not just be from porn, but are still just as easy to transmit regardless. There is no guarantee that they are being tested when working with other actors, and they will not disclose their HIV status either way. Chi Chi LaRue has made it very public that she won’t direct porn that depicts unsafe sex, and I applaud her for that. Although, she is still willing to hire actors that have worked in that medium before. If she truly felt as strong about it, and would like us to believe that, then why hire these performers at all? Or is it really just a a matter of profits?

Where am I going with this again? I feel its time to evaluate the glorification of the actions of these people. Magazines, clubs, and other groups continue to hold these performers up as celebrities. But are these the right people our community should look up to? The UK’s BBC recently did a documentary on the rise of bareback porn in Europe. Watch it HERE! They examined the rise, the demand, and the impact it was having on society. During the interviews, many porn actors stated that the only way to continue to earn money was to do unsafe porn even when they aren’t okay with it. It has simply become a way to survive for them, but with those choices comes a price. In this documentary they talked with the young men who tested positive, many of them only in their early 20’s, as a result of their work. They also examined the connection of the increase of people who tested positive in society and the fact they were watching the videos. At one point these videos were considered extremely taboo in the 80’s and 90’s because of the AIDS outbreak, but recently the industry feels the only way to remain profitable is to do bareback videos.

The truth is that I understand that it will be difficult to diminish the spotlight some people are pointing on porn actors. In less than a week voters will be asked to vote on marriage initiatives for gay and lesbians around the country. The opponents have been very well funded and have launched one vicious lie after another to convince others to vote to restrict rights. But what bothers me the most is that some of the examples they used to paint our community as hypersexual came from our own actions. But its not my only concern. Is putting the lives of others at stake something our community wants on our shoulders? The BBC showed the connection in Europe to increasing STD and AIDS rates to the increasing porn spotlight.

So is watching a human being, who’s life may be changed forever, for your moment of pleasure, really worth it? Is a club or magazine doing a disservice to highlight a porn actor or are they providing some sort of entertainment? Are we telling the teens of our community that porn is a legitimate path to fame or personal destruction? What is really important to us a segment of society?

We have set the stage to glorify these people and by default condone their actions. We are letting them influence our lives and our future generations. What is our world coming to?

And remember, a condom takes 5 seconds to put on…HIV is something that you will live with for the rest of your life. This is an issue that hits very close to home because I had a family member die from AIDS in the early years of the epidemic. Education is key, and do not let something that you have seen in porn influence your sex life. Be safe, be smart, and always use a condom!