LOS ANGELES — Free Speech Coalition has released a statement regarding the passing of Board Director Emeritus Mark Kernes.
The statement follows:
Free Speech Coalition is deeply saddened by the passing of Mark Kernes, a friend, journalist and long-time member of the FSC Board of Directors. Kernes served on the Free Speech Coalition Board for nearly two decades. When he retired in 2018, the remaining Board voted him Director Emeritus, the first person to be granted the title.
“Mark was the first Director to advocate the integration of all sex work into the scope of Free Speech Coalition. For many years he was the lone voice, but eventually (and gently) persuaded us of the righteousness of that position,” says Jeffrey Douglas, FSC Board Chair. “Mark will likely be remembered most for the extraordinary legal writing. But for those of us fortunate enough to be his friend, his was a gentle, loving soul - reliable, kind and judgment-free. We are all poorer for his loss.”
Kernes began his adult career at Adult Video News (AVN) in the early 1980s, and over his four decades rose to become one of the industry’s chief legal analysts. Kernes joined FSC as a Board Member in 2003, eventually serving as Board Secretary for more than a dozen years.
“Mark was one of the most dedicated journalists I've ever known. He had a sharp mind, a deep sense of fairness, and an unmatched ability to distill even the most complex courtroom proceedings--often thanks to his incredible shorthand skills,” says AVN CEO and FSC Board member Tony Rios. “He cared deeply about our industry and how it was treated and perceived by others, both in his reporting and in his service on the FSC board. When he retired, he made it clear that I should join the FSC board, and his encouragement played a major role in my decision to do so. He'll be remembered not just for his talent, but for his heart.”
In addition to his work with AVN and FSC, Mark published a non-fiction history of sex censorship, Preachers vs Porn: Exposing Christianity’s War on Sexxx, a National A&E Journalism Awards finalist.
Even after leaving the Board, Kernes continued to support the organization and joined ad hoc committees and initiatives to help preserve free speech.
“Mark joined the industry at a time when political attacks on the business were rapidly intensifying,” says FSC Executive Director Alison Boden. “His fight, intellect and vision were critical to the fight against censorship. He will be deeply missed.”
For more information, visit FreeSpeechCoalition.com.