Condom police could make economy limp
People around the world enjoy watching adult films and most porn movies are filmed in the Los Angeles area. But now the government there is cracking down on the pornography industry and how the performers have sex.
Many in LA wonder why the city is even creating unusual laws like these, at a time when tens of thousands are living on the streets and many other basic needs are not being met.At a time of growing concern about government infringing on people’s liberties, the porn industry is fighting for a right they say is under attack.“Not only is it unconstitutional, but it’s against our human rights,” said adult film performer Alia Janine about the new law in Los Angeles, which mandates that performers like her must use condoms while having sex on set.“You want to see the nastiest grittiest stuff you don’t want to see some condom,” said transsexual performer Domino Presley.The unique law has people, worried about a nanny state criminalizing consensual sex acts between adults.“I think they’re wasting their time. That’s like asking everyone to wear condoms in their home and I don’t think the government should be into regulating sex,” said Los Angeles resident Cornelius O’Leary.Many also ask if this is really the most serious and pressing issue facing the city“We can’t even get a subway that runs 24 hours. So yeah, it would be nice if they could allocate funds for something more productive to the people,” O’Leary added.While China and other countries build high speed rail systems and modernize their infrastructure, in Los Angeles,it can take years just to approve improvements to public transit. Despite those problematic issues, the city of Los Angeles will instead focus resources on enforcing who puts on a condom.The condom requirement could also push out the multi-billion dollar porn industry, a source of major economic stimulus in the Southern California region.“It’s quite possible and probable that the producers will move out of the area and there will be a significant amount of revenue loss for the city,” said Diane Duke, executive director of the Free Speech Coalition.The adult film industry is estimated to generate 14 billion dollars a year, and most of it is made in the Los Angeles area.“I know that every day there are 50 to 100 scenes being filmed in porn. We’re renting a house, we’re paying a crew, we’re buying food. So it’s definitely big for our economy in LA,” said adult filmmaker, B. Skow.An inflow of money LA sorely needs as its struggles with a massive budget crisis.“We should be more concerned with legitimate issues other than porn actors using condoms,” said O’Leary.There are plenty of issues: There have been nearly 400 thousand foreclosures in LA County since 2008, and today more than 50 thousand people are homeless.Official unemployment hovers at 12 percent, the real rate is likely much higher.Census numbers show that nearly 1 in 5 in Los Angeles are living below the poverty line, and close to 1 million people receive food stamps.Something for the city to think about while it plays condom police.
