xbiz world
xbiz premiere
opinion

AIM’s Sharon Mitchell Speaks Out

In an article posted today on the L.A. Daily News website, Adult Industry Medical Healthcare (AIM) founder Sharon Mitchell spoke out on the recent developments with the clinic and the campaign that she claims is being waged against AIM by AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) and the L.A. County Department of Public Health (LACPH).

“I really can’t stress enough that this has been a conspiracy, and I don’t know if that’s the right word,” Mitchell said in the interview, describing the actions taken by both AHF and county health over the last two years.

AHF spokesperson Ged Kenslea responded by calling Mitchell’s claims false and stated, â€We’d be happy to have a clinic that services the adult entertainment industry.

“But we’d actually like them to be competent and honor the laws of California with regard to what they need to do to protect patient health and provide relevant information to local public health officials in a timely basis – frankly, neither of which AIM seems willing and able to do at this point,” Kenslea added.

Kenslea also was quoted in a Sept. 2010 article posted at CaliforniaWatch.org, regarding a situation where AHF was implicated in violating privacy rights of patients when state insurance agency MediCal illegally disclosed HIV-positive patients’ information, in order for the organization to offer services to 5,000 individuals. Both the ACLU and two other HIV/AIDS advocacy organizations made claims that MediCal had illegally breached privacy laws in disclosing the results of HIV tests. MediCal’s 2007 $1M contract with AHF was subsequently terminated.

In today’s L.A. Daily News article, LACPH  Director Dr. Jonathan Fielding was quoted as saying, â€I don’t think there’s pressure to shut the clinic, but I hope the industry feels pressure to do the right thing. Nobody should have to work in an environment where they subject themselves to life-threatening illness.”

AHF also has filed complaints with regulatory agency CalOSHA against numerous adult industry businesses in its campaign to mandate condom use on adult production sets. And recently, at a “Condoms in the Adult Industry” seminar hosted at UCLA, representatives from AHF, LACPH, Pink Cross Foundation, UCLA’s Center for Reproductive Health, and Free Speech Coalition (FSC) met to discuss the topic of regulation on adult industry production sets. – jc

Copyright © 2026 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More Articles

opinion

WIFEY at One: Brand Ambassador Serenity Cox Talks Authenticity, Trusted Relationships

Vixen Media Group brand Wifey may be celebrating its very first anniversary in March, but the imprint has wasted no time establishing itself as a distinctive new voice in adult cinema. In its debut year, Wifey captured two XMAs: Best New Studio/Imprint and Best New Site.

Christian Cintron ·
opinion

Inside the OCC's Debanking Review and Its Impact on the Adult Industry

For years, adult performers, creators, producers and adjacent businesses have routinely had their access to basic financial services curtailed — not because they are inherently higher-risk customers, but because a whole category of lawful work has long been treated as unacceptable.

Corey Silverstein ·
opinion

What DSA and GDPR Enforcement Means for Adult Platforms

Adult platforms have never been more visible to regulators than they are right now. For years, the industry operated in a gray zone: enormous traffic, massive data volume and minimal oversight. Those days are over.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
opinion

How Adult Businesses Can Navigate Global Compliance Demands

The internet has made the world feel small. Case in point: Adult websites based in the U.S. are now getting letters from regulators demanding compliance with foreign laws, even if they don’t operate in those countries. Meanwhile, some U.S. website operators dealing with the patchwork of state-level age verification laws have considered incorporating offshore in the hopes of avoiding these new obligations — but even operators with no physical presence in the U.S. have been sued or threatened with claims for not following state AV laws.

Larry Walters ·
opinion

Top Tips for Bulletproof Creator Management Contracts

The creator management business is booming. Every week, it seems, a new agency emerges, promising to turn creators into stars, automate their fan interactions or triple their revenue through “secret” social strategies. The reality? Many of these agencies are operating with contracts that wouldn’t survive a single serious dispute — if they even have contracts at all.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
opinion

What Adult Businesses Need to Know About Florida's Age Verification Law

The rise and proliferation of age verification laws has changed the landscape for the online adult industry. A recent and compelling example is the state of Florida, where Attorney General James Uthmeier has filed multiple complaints against major platforms as well as affiliates accused of violating the state’s AV law.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
opinion

How to Stay Legally Protected When Policies Get Outdated

The adult industry has long operated in a complex legal environment subject to rapid change. Now, a confluence of age verification laws, lawsuits, credit card processing and data privacy rules has created an urgent need for all industry participants — from major platforms to independent creators — to review and potentially overhaul their legal and operational policies.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
opinion

Breaking Down HB 805 and How it Affects the Adult Industry

North Carolina House Bill 805 was enacted July 29, after the state legislature overrode Governor Josh Stein’s veto. The provisions that relate to the adult industry, imposing requirements for age verification, consent and content removal, are scheduled to become effective Dec. 1. Platforms have until then to update their policies and systems to comply with the new regulations.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
opinion

How to Avoid Copyright Pitfalls When Using Music in Adult Content

When creating an adult video, bringing your vision to life often means assembling just the right ingredients — including the right music. However, adding music to adult content can raise complex legal and ethical issues.

Lawrence G. Walters ·
profile

Dan Leal Talks Balance, Business and Daily Rituals

“We were in a big field, and I hopped off a little ledge to cut through some grass, and my knee just gave out,” he explains. “I thought it was my calf because I’d torn my calf muscle back in December, but I had an MRI that confirmed a torn ACL.”

Jeff Dana ·
Show More