(l-to-r) Attorney and FSC Board Chair Jeffrey Douglas, VICA Chair David Adelman, VICA President Stuart Waldman, and adult industry performers James Deen, Stoya and Tanya Tate
This morning, at a press conference held in the Burbank offices of adult company Manwin, the Valley Industry and Commerce Association (VICA) gave its formal endorsement to the NO to Government Waste campaign to defeat Los Angeles County Ballot Measure B. The measure, if approved, would require adult film productions to use condoms, gloves, goggles, dental dams, protective gear and other exposure protocols while making adult films.
Measure B, which has been spearheaded by HIV nonprofit organization AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), is an exceedingly irresponsible example of government overreach that will ultimately drive thousands of jobs and up to a billion dollars in annual economic activity out of the Los Angeles area.
In this quote from AVN Magazine, VICA Chair David Adelman said, “In order to stem the tide of businesses that have left our region, and to encourage businesses within our region to grow and prosper, VICA believes that our politicians should be bending over backwards to make Los Angeles County as business friendly as possible.
“Well, the politicians sure have missed the boat with regard to Measure B,” Adelman continued. “Measure B is yet another regulation in search of a problem and will make Los Angeles County even less business friendly than it already is. At a time when growing the economy and growing more jobs is imperative, Measure B is precisely what Los Angeles County doesn’t need. Should Measure B pass, we expect to see thousands more on the unemployment lines, and billions of dollars sucked out of our economy, and as a result, VICA is strongly in opposition to this measure, and is one of the key business organizations who’s now dedicated to promoting the business across Los Angeles. We need to stand up to this overreach of government regulation and oppose Measure B.”
Adult industry performers Stoya, Tanya Tate and James Deen also appeared at the press conference to express their outrage over the proposed regulations.
In this quote from XBIZ Magazine, Deen said, “The idea of restricting our ability to make choices of our own is insulting, it is rude and frankly, it’s unconstitutional,” Deen said. “We’ve had zero HIV transmissions in over eight years. There’s no other community in the entire world where you can find that. Adult industry sex is as safe as you can possibly get.
“You have a group of people, all tested regularly, all engaging in sexual activity with one another,” he added.
Free Speech Coalition opposes Ballot Measure B and the relentless anti-industry attacks carried out by AHF in what they claim is an attempt to “protect performers.” The organization recently launched their own campaign for Measure B, highlighted by TV ads featuring paid actors Darren James and Derrick Burts as their spokesmen.
FSC would like to express special appreciation for Deen, Stoya and Tate, who appeared at this morning’s press conference voluntarily, in order to express their strong opposition of Measure B. There has been a great outpouring of industry support for the No On Government Waste – No to Measure B campaign. FSC would like to urge the voters of Los Angeles to learn the facts about adult industry self-regulation and performer testing, and VOTE NO on Measure B. At a time when necessary programs and services are being cut from the city budget, we know that voters do NOT want tax dollars spent on bad legislation and “condom police.”
To learn more about Measure B, please visit the No On Government Waste website, “like” the campaign on Facebook, and follow @NOtoMeasureB on Twitter.
Stoya and Tanya Tate said that Measure B was “insulting” and deprives them and other performers of choice in matters regarding their own bodies and livelihoods
Deen speaks to the media and members of the public
