The editorial said that even though another porn performer tested positive for HIV, there’s no guarantee things will change in the adult industry.
The editorial said that thousands of porn actors have tested positive for STDs since 2004.
“But this is not just a workplace safety issue,” the editorial said. “Because porn actors do not live in a bubble but are wives, husbands and members of the Southern California community, those who become infected also pose a risk to public health.”
Both federal and state federal laws require workers to use personal protective equipment or barriers against bodily fluids, but the article said no state law specifically requires condom use and that “it may be time for that to change.”
The editorial stated that many performers say their monthly testing procedures are sufficient, but “they confuse early detection with prevention. The analogy would be if construction workers routinely checked for concussions rather than required to wear hardhats.”
Though some say porn producers may leave the state if condoms become a requirement, it's still, “no excuse for ignoring reasonable health and safety laws.”
