The Price of AIDS

Sadly, I read a story late yesterday and again today in the LA Times about a porn actress who goes by the name Cameron Bay. This young woman was diagnosed with HIV, which initially came back inconclusive. The follow up blood test was positive.

She is a 28 year old woman who chose a life for herself most of us would not even consider, even in our top 150 career choices. The industry looks for young, attractive women who generally have no real acting talent, but who are told they have great careers ahead of them. This woman, like so many others  who are willing to have sex in front of others, no matter if the partner is the same or the opposite sex, did this thinking perhaps it was a quicker way to be discovered.

The men certainly don't have any talent other than that which is part of their physical attributes.

The adult film industry has been around for as long as movies have been made, but are now a huge money-making business due to cable and videos/DVDs. The porn industry is big business for those in the production side, but the "actors/actresses" are really on the bottom rung of the money scale.

Yes, there are awards ceremonies for the performers where they are given trophies for the most ridiculous reasons and performances. Since this is not an R or XXX rated commentary, I won't bother with the names of the awards.

Suffice to say, the industry has some very strange policies related to "safe sex". Basically, other than a monthly mandatory AIDS test, there is no other method of disease prevention. Condom usage is frowned upon since the most "realistic" shots and types of sexual acts would be inhibited.

Really? So instead, this result is better? An innocent, dumb babe in the woods getting sick for the riches of others? And what about all the others, men and women, who were exposed to her and who may soon become sick, as well? And finally, who was the one who made her sick? Where is he or she?

I saw many people who worked for me in the 70s and 80s who died from this horrid disease. Believe me, it's not pretty. I know we have remedies now to delay the additional onset of the worst effects of AIDS and HIV. But there is no guarantee that it will not return.

So, while I am not a moralist by any means, perhaps it is time to shut down the porn industry until it develops real standards to protect its participants. Otherwise we will be reading of another  person who will eventually die while fattening someone's wallet. Is that right?

Hell, no! It certainly is not! Totally uncool, man!