O-SHIT, OSHA… YOU’RE JOKING, RIGHT?
Op/Ed by Jeremy Steele (International Porno Superstar)
"Why don’t they make a law to make a man happy instead of making laws to bust a guy all up?" – Farina (from "Our Gang" episode- "Little Daddy", released March 28, 1931)
80 years, and a few months since the above Little Rascals quote, not much has changed, except that it’s now OUR gang that is getting messed with by some full-grown, not as cute (or innocent) government rascals/misfits.
The Cal-OSHA meeting on Tuesday, June 7th 2011, regarding mandatory porn condom laws, was my second time attending, although this time I was far less voiciferous than I was the first time I attended. I prepared a lot of notes, but preferred to just sit next to Lucky, listen and stare through the proceedings like some lilly-pad dwelling amphibian stuck in a less spacious and less comfortable chair. Plus, I was more curious to see what the commission and everyone else in the packed room had to say.
But as certain words and terms, like "barrier protection" and "impermeable membrane", floated through the air, I stood up and asked if OSHA could confirm for me whether or not it was already determined that condoms are, in fact, defined as impermeable membranes, or "protection barriers", as OSHA refers to it. And, their response was, simply, "yes".
Miffed, but not surprised, I responded that their opinion was "patently false", and sat quietly back down. It turns out that was the last I publically spoke that day. I also didn’t want to be the one to blame for sparking the flames I could feel were coming about several issues, anyway.
I could’ve lept into a rant about condoms, "safe sex" and "barrier protection", but, also, in lieu of how it already appeared, (that the commission itself might be comprised a few impermeable membranes), I decided to gather my thoughts and review my notes and respond at a later time.
And as the proceedings carried onward, I thought to myself about the answer to my question, which only lead to more questions, such as; "WHEN did condoms become defined as "safe sex" and "protective barriers"; WHERE was the adult industry when this decision was made and; WHY was the adult never part of those meetings BEFORE OSHA levied all its fines against production companies?; Shouldn’t there have been an open hearing and fair trial back then, BEFORE the fines were levied, just as there’s SUPPOSED to be an open hearing and fair trial now?
And as OSHA was explaining the purpose of our meeting being the focus on "Language" I was in the midst of questioning the definitions they had already made (without our participation) about words and terms that were currently being used to further analyze more of their own "language"….
Wait a fucking minute, OSHA! Time Out!
Continued on page 2 Here CLICKY https://www.lukeisback.com/?page_id=17155
Can U remove or at least change this photo, Cindi? I don’t like it, neither does Lucky, it’s a few years old and this thread is not about me. The subject matter of this op/ed is too important and that photo might turn a few off from reading it. Thanks.
@Jeremy
“Meanwhile, what does OSHA cite as an example of a law-abiding group?; the gay industry, which has NO test requirments AND, at the same time, a much, much higher percentage and number of deemed “HIV+s”!”
That is an excellent observation… How can OSHA possibly deny this fact? A prime example of a government entity stepping on it’s own feet when proposing more control based regulations.
Thanks for changing the photo Cindi. Thankyou Karma (from page 2), thanks Voltaire, and Thank Göd this thread has more comments than my “AVN Vs. NFL” op/ed.
I’ve got a lot more to say about us, as a collective and about OSHA. Whatever you read here that is of gain run with it and forget the rest…
Even if the only major way condom laws affect us is to become “outlaws” working “underground” (or simply, us performers getting paid right away without taxes taken out as “independent contractors”.. oh what a bummer) we need to fight this fight for symbolic and relevent reasons, including our fucking human right called “Freedom”. Why the fuck fight for “freedom” in other countries (that’s the official story) if we have few to none here?
Realize and/or remember that at this time in our collective and industry history we need to evolve fast with the quickly changing times. We can’t afford to be just spectators any more. Evolution is a necessity at this point and for evolution to occur it requires participation and responsibility. We can be a force to contend with, use the allure and attention that the sex industry brings and use it to the highest end!
May the force be with us! I’ll comment more later…
OSHA talks about defining Language while ABUSING language! They are guilty of the same thing the AIDS industry has done. In April, 1984, Robert Gallo through Margeret Heckler arrounced that he discovered the “Probable cause of AIDS”. But once the government was dishing out mega-money grants based on the accepted hypothesis being true, everyone was saying HIV = AIDS, end of story.
However, the problem is…
“PROBABLE” DOESN’T MEAN SHIT!… “PROBABLE” MEANS “I DON’T KNOW”!!!
Now OSHA has hustled the bogus notion that Condoms are bona-fide “barriers” or “impermeable membranes” which “Prevent” the passage of blood, secretions and micro-organisms.
HOWEVER…. the back of a “Lifestyles” condom wrapper reads:
“If used properly, latex condoms are effective against pregnancy, AIDS and other STDs.”
NOWHERE DOES IT SAY IT PREVENTS… THAT WOULD BE A LIE… A LIE LIKE OSHA IS TRYING TO PULL ON US!
Do you see the con they are trying to pull on us?
How dare they say they want to focus on language while using pre-existing language which mis-represents the truth?!
@Jeremy – It goes back to the point you made at the meeting — the notion that condoms constitute a consistent, effective protective “barrier” to a panoply of STIs is “patently false.”
I also loved the discussion of whether they should alter the language to: “impenetrable barrier.” What would that be? Titanium?
Thanks Michael, and let me repeat this because it is the key point which needs to be hammered into OSHA’s thick skulls.
Right now OSHA is in the midst of defining language based on pre-existing language which CLEARLY mis-represents the truth.
Exhibit A: OSHA labels condoms as “barriers” which “prevent” transmissions. (section 5193.1 (b) Definitions- “Barrier”)
Exhibit B: Condoms make NO “prevention” claims. They only state that they are “effective”.
Imagine if condoms claimed they PREVENTED pregnancy! THAT would be a MAJOR lawsuit!!!
But this is PRECISELY the kind of ABUSE OF LANGUAGE that OSHA is guilty of!
In case anyone’s interested, these are the detailed minutes of the first Cal OSHA meeting I attended on 6/29/10
http://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/DoshReg/meeting_minutes_6-29-10.doc
I was gonna say some more, so here goes…
Do you really want petro-chemicals in your pussy, ladies?
Not trying to get personal or anything. However,
OSHA IS!
What’s next? Government mandates for
Public Service Announcement lectures with
sponsors before ‘Sgt. Pooper’s Lonely Farts
Club Band Vol. 1’ comes on? (I just made that
up, so I doubt you’ll find it).
OSHA is using inaccurate language, labeling
Condoms as something that “prevents” and is “safe”, when
there is plenty of evidence to the contrary.
Condom sales are booming. They want the porn
industry to be regulated (ie: their bitch)
so they can use us as free poster children promoting
mandatorily required “safe sex” practices in the porn industry.
Did they buy “safe sex” like FOX News attempted
to purchase “fair and balanced”? Just wondering…
You can advertise “safer”, but that still
is dubious, at best, as it causes variant levels
and causes of harm, as well, and fails.
Like I said, this is all political. Everyone’s
been jumping in on the porn game. Now it’s been
left raped, beaten, with its sphincter ripped
and spit on… don’t worry about the condom pal.
We’ll just go back underground where we all
started from, Uncle Sammy!
“causes variant levels and causes of harm” should’ve read: “causes various types and levels of harm”.
Jeremy, you write like a four year old. OSHA is just trying to protect performers from crossover virus hoarders like you.
I actually believe in a person’s right to choose whether or not they feel it is necessary to use condoms. I find myself wanting to disagree with you-agreeing with you feels to icky. yuck.
km
Icky? Yucky? Stop writing like a gay 4 year old.
I ain’t crossing nuthin! I haven’t even rubbed cocks bareback in any “straight” double anals since the last millennium. OSHA isn’t trying to protect anyone. They’re trying to implement the gay standard. Required rubbers on the side of the fence with a comparitively high “HIV” rate is not a standard we should emulate. OSHA doesn’t care because they’re Fundamentalists. But they’re also aka a “notroriously toothless agency”. They can’t touch independent contractors.
“Man, everyone is gay once in a while! It’s Hollywood!” – I think this Tropic Thunder quote had the “other” Hollywood in mind, too.
And if I sound like a 4 yr. old, maybe I’m talking to you like one. Some people need things spelled out because they haven’t figured them out, yet!
OSHA refuses to acknowledge apt comparisons of porn to UFC.
1. Both are very popular
2. Neither are “safe” nor can be without removing the sport itself.
3. Head gear for both is LAME!
OSHA is as dishonest and simplistic as Shelley when she says ALL porn stars hate what they do and do drugs in order to perform on camera.
Missives like these are like reading a bad porno script… retarded and obscene.
Just face it, OSHA. Life is not safe. In fact life itself carries it’s own death sentence. But it is still OUR sovereign right to choose to live and HOW to live. SO FUCK OFF OSHA! FUCK OFF AHF!
WE WILL NOT BE YOUR WHORE!
So a condom stops HIV? “Studies show”? Who financed these studies? Good question, right? Studies show that biased entities who “study” things rig and cherry pick the data so they can sell their product and get away with it due to inept and politically controlled gov’t bureaucracies such as OSHA.
a. Let’s say conservatively that condoms “only” break 3% of the time… and,
b. Let’s conservatively assume that on the high end
HIV+ unprotected transmissions occurs at a rate of 1/1000.
This notion that condoms protect is just like the notion that void holes in condoms (being much greater in size than virus-size particles) are going to protect… It’s like hiring a tick or mite as a goalie and expecting it to stop a soccer ball.
Jeremy,
UFC fighters are under the State Athletic Commision. They must pass a legislative legally mandated physical, that includes HIV tests, before they are granted a license by the state to fight. They are true independent contractors, and thus do not fall under OHSA’s jurisdiction.
Why does everyone keep making this comparison? Would the porn industry support a program like the Athletic Commision, or the system in Nevada to have a legal license for sex workers,or porn perfomrers?
One of the major obstacles to being identified as independent contractors, but not the only obsticles for porn performers, is the lack of any license to perform the job that porn perfomrers do. Plumbers need a license. A haidresser needs a license. An electrician needs a license. A UFC fighter must pass the Commision physical to get a license. A taxi driver needs a license. ANd thats what makes them independent contractors. Why not legal sex workers. If they were licensed then OSHA couldnt touch them.
Speaking of UFC, I was roaming around Koreatown last night, saw a video store, checked it out and a saw a shit load of UFC DVDs. I asked if it was the “For Sale” section and the clerk said “Yes”. Being a fan and collector since it started, I asked how much and he said $3.oo each. I was like “Holy Fuck!” and grabbed and bought about 20 or so of ones I knew I didn’t have between the UFC 60 or so through 115 or so range. Then, I made a list of all the ones I have and went back this morning, took another 20 off the shelf, but then the clerk said that the guy who sold me those last night fucked up and that each one was the only copy of each they had. Damn!
Well, as independent contractors, they apparently can’t touch us. Yet we need to fight these fuckers and expose them for what they are, trying to say condoms “prevent”. Yeah, tell all the girls and women, who got knocked up, that. We’re brainwashed about condoms the way we are about “collapsing” towers. OSHA’s words, as they are currently and erroneously defined, need to be addressed before they proceed with defining and dealing with any more language.
@jeremy – I’ll see you at the the next talent roundtable meeting.
@joe – Sorry we didn’t get to chat at the OSHA meeting —
From an email to me, December 12, 2010:
“Boxers and MMA fighters in California are Required by law to be HIV tested in order to get a license to fight. Doesnt it seem kind of odd that boxers must get tested for HIV, but porn actors, legal sex workers, dont. And there has to be a joke somewhere about the boxer wearing the glove. Nina Hartley has recently started calling porn performers “sexual athletes.’ Maybe they should be licensed through the State Athletic Commision.(and that is not as much of a joke as it sounds)”
Even “high school kids” get to peer over the right shoulders sometimes, or handle the right materials, or have access to the right database, or take a peek at the right test, or talk to the right employee.
I’ll see you at the roundtable, Michael, and then I’ll whip out my Excalibur… for under the eyes of God no Knight who is false can defeat a Knight who is true!