California Voters Reject Condom Requirement for Porn Stars

California voters have rejected Proposition 60, which would've required the use of condoms in pornography.

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In addition to legalizing recreational marijuana and considering secession from the United States, California voters rejected Proposition 60—a result being hailed as a victory for the porn industry. The proposition would've required adult film stars to use condoms, among other things.

On election night, 53.9 percent of California voters cast their ballot against Prop. 60, compared to only 46.1 percent who voted in support of it. The proposition would've required porn stars to use a condom during scenes "in which performers actually engage in vaginal or anal penetration by a penis." On top of that, porn producers would have also been required to pay for testing, vaccinations, and medical exams for adult film stars.

The controversial measure would've also allowed any California resident to sue the porn industry if they saw a scene in which condoms weren't used—which alarmed many people involved with adult films. According to the Daily Dot, opponents argued the proposition would have put "performers in danger, both physically and financially, with private citizens able to sue sex workers and gain access to their private information, which could have been used to stalk and abuse them."

An analysis by California Secretary of State Alex Padilla's office found that the proposition could've reduced state and local tax revenue by "millions or tens of millions of dollars per year," according to Time. Members of the porn industry argued that the "proposition’s draconian measures would have forced the multi-billion dollar industry out of state."

Proposition 60 was championed by Michael Weinstein, the president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. "A lot of people get their sex education through these films, and I think it's sending a bad message," Weinstein told NPR before the election. "I don't want young people to be educated that the only kind of sex that's hot is unsafe sex."

While the initiative was theoretically designed for the safety of porn stars, Weinstein faced significant opposition from the porn industry. Before the election, adult film star Ela Darling told NPR, "[Weinstein] will not hear us, he will not speak to us, but he's happy speaking for us."

After the proposition failed, the founder of the porn production company Evil Angel, John Stagliano, said, "Perhaps now, the non-profit AIDS Healthcare Foundation will stop illegally wasting their donors’ dollars on political fights and spend them on programs that benefit the sick and needy."

Many porn stars were ecstatic about the results:

"This was a tremendous victory, not only for adult performers, but for science over stigma, and facts over fear," the No on Proposition 60 campaign wrote in an official statement. "Adult industry workers no longer need to fear a punitive law that would have allowed any resident of the state to file suit against them. We were honored to have the Democratic and Republican and Libertarian Parties, along with over 55 state newspapers and hundreds of public health and civil rights advocates, stand with adult performers."

Maybe the election results weren't totally bad, after all.

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