Porn Condom Enforcement Issue to be Worked Out by ... L.A. Arts Committee?
The L.A. City Council made history when it voted to require condom use at on-location porn shoots in our fair metropolis.
Nate 'Igor' Smith
But history still awaits. We reported last week that a top city official has requested that a report on how to enforce this rule be put off until almost the end of summer.
Now comes word that figuring out how to police prophylactic use is in the hands of ...
... the city's "arts, parks, health and aging committee?" Gulp.
Strange move. If you ask us, it feels like, after the city has learned how complicated this is really going to be, it's dragging its feet.
The adult video industry has raised some serious issues, such as:
Nate 'Igor' Smith
-What's the city going to do if a married couple wants to have sex on camera at a location shoot? Is L.A. prepared to get into reproductive rights?
-The two main departments used to doing inspections, the LAPD and the L.A. Fire Department, basically say they have no background for checking out porn sets and enforcing condoms.
-The permitting firm hired by the city to green light film shoots, FilmLA, doesn't currently differentiate between shoots with sex and those that are mainstream Hollywood affairs. Is it prepared to ask major studios if sex will be happening on set (it sometimes does, allegedly) and, if so, is L.A. prepared to require condoms for those as well?
The Free Speech Coalition, the adult industry lobbying group, seemed to be scratching its head over the city's latest move. In a statement sent to the Weekly it said:
It is unclear why the issue has been referred to the Arts, Parks, Health & Aging Committee. That committee is made up of three L.A. City Council members, including Councilmen Richard Alarcon (7th District), Tom LaBonge (4th District) and Ed P. Reyes (1st District).FSC, as the adult industry trade association, will continue to aggressively provide input, to make sure the best interests of the industry are represented to city officials.
Michael Weinstein, head of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the powerful group that pushed successfully for the condom ordinance, told us he's not worried about the delays:
It's just complicated, and we're trying to figure out what to do. We don't object to taking 90 more days. This issue has been developing for years.
[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]
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