Porn Performer Tests HIV Positive In Los Angeles

Clipped from: latimesblogs.latimes.com (share this clip)

“We do have a confirmed adult-industry performer who tested positive for HIV. We are quarantining and testing all exposed partners to the individual who tested positive for HIV,” said Jennifer Miller, HIV/STD counselor at the AIM clinic in Sherman Oaks, where the person was tested.

From latimesblogs.latimes.com (share this quote)

While it's reassuring to know that HIV screening for adult industry performers is in fact working, it's hard to see fear-mongering, othering language like "quarantine" used. I would rather hear that clinic staff are notifying parties to whom this information is relevant and that the information is being efficiently made available so that people in the industry can make good, responsible choices. Making responsible choices based on all the information available, providing PEP when appropriate, and medical care when needed could be a more supportive model for responding to such situations than othering the newly seroconverted.

A similar event occurred last year; you can see our interview with Sharon Mitchell, founder of the non-profit sexual health testing and support organization for sex workers called AIM, here. Conflict between AIM and The AIDS Healthcare Foundation, a non-profit health organization, has been raging as the debate over mandatory condom use continues.

The intertwined issues of privacy and workplace safety in the porn industry aren't going away, and neither is the turf war between AIM and AHF.

From Carnal Nation (share this quote)

Will a new report of seroconversion give the dialogue a push in the direction of more stringent regulations? Or will the dialogue simply get more inflammatory? It remains to be seen.