Californians vote against Proposition 60, so bareback is here to stay.
For many, the results of the election are nothing short of terrifying. However, despite the results of the presidential election, California had some victories, including the rejection of Proposition 60, which would have required adult film performers to wear condoms while shooting scenes in the state.
Some activists believe condomless or bareback sex in adult entertainment promotes “risky” behavior. Although it was one of the most provocative referendums on the ballot, Californians rejected it by 10 points; nearly 670,000 people voted “No” on the issue. Proposition 60 would have affected adult performers in opposite-sex and same-sex scenes.
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Naturally, the adult entertainment industry opposed the referendum but surprisingly so did a handful of sexual health groups. Those opposed asserted that the bareback ban would have driven production underground effectively decreasing the effectiveness of current policies such as mandatory HIV testing.
Despite existing regulations, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) assert that the adult entertainment industry must change to prevent HIV transmission. Earlier this year, the CDC released details around a case involving a 25-year-old male performer who was HIV-positive despite testing negative ten days prior. This incident resulted in the infection of two other performers and a thorough investigation.
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The authors declared, “Adult film performers and production companies, medical providers and all persons at risk for HIV should be aware that testing alone is not sufficient to prevent HIV transmission.” The report suggested the use of antiretroviral drugs as a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in addition to rigorous testing.
Despite the claims of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which state that unprotected sex in adult entertainment is unsafe and sets a bad example, Californians overwhelming opposed. With 100 percent of the votes counted, 4,560,567 (54 percent) voted in favor while 3,893,878 (46 percent) voted against the law.
