SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Democratic Party has taken a position on the AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s statewide porn-condom ballot measure that’s set for the November ballot: It’s condemned it.
The local party’s oversight body, known as the Democratic County Central Committee, unanimously passed a resolution denouncing the measure at a meeting last week, according to the Bay Area Reporter, which serves the gay, lesbian and transgender communities in San Francisco.
DCCC member Matt Dorsey, who was the lead sponsor of the resolution, said it’s unclear whether the state Democratic party will take a position on the ballot measure, according to the Reporter.
But Dorsey said that he plans to discuss the measure at the state party’s LGBT Caucus meeting held in San Jose later this month. He noted the SF DCCC stance is likely to carry significant weight with Democratic party officials.
“San Francisco is a globally-recognized leader on HIV/AIDS issues,” Dorsey said. “This is a very strong statement from San Francisco’s Democratic Party, and I hope it will send an influential message to the California Democratic Party and to voters statewide.
“These issues aren’t intuitive for a lot of people, especially when the measure is referred to as the ‘condoms in porn measure.’ The first question I would hear from people is, ‘What is wrong with condoms?’ Well, nothing,” he said. “It really takes some going through the measure and understanding the context and larger narrative to get how dangerous this measure is.
“In the end everyone did their homework, and I applaud my colleagues on the DCCC for it.”
The AHF’s porn-condom initiative, which cost a reported $1.5 million to get it approved for ballot, would require performers in adult films to use condoms during filming of sexual intercourse.
It also requires producers of adult films to pay for performer vaccinations, testing and medical examinations related to sexually transmitted infections and forces them to obtain state health license at beginning of filming and to post condom requirement at film sites.
For violations, the proposal also imposes liability on producers, distributors, performers if they have a financial interest in the violating film, and on talent agents who knowingly refer performers to noncomplying producers.
Eric Paul Leue, executive director for adult industry trade group Free Speech Coalition, welcomed San Francisco DCCC's announcement over the denouncement over the ballot measure.
"We're grateful for the courage shown by the San Francisco Democratic Central Committee in looking at the facts behind the proposed initiative and speaking out in opposition," Leue told XBIZ Wednesday evening.
"The SFDCC recognizes just how extreme and harmful the initiative will be to public health and safety. We expect California voters to reach the same conclusion — this initiative is dangerous and should be defeated."
