Successful advocacy for condoms in adult films: From idea to ballot, how did we do it?

The adult film industry (AFI) is a legal industry in California that is required to follow workplace health and safety laws. However, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) pose serious occupational health risks to AFI performers because condoms are almost never made available on set. The panelist is a member of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the largest community-based HIV/AIDS medical provider in the nation and the leading advocate for AFI health and safety. In response to the AFI's consistent disregard for health and safety standards requirements for performers, proponents through a citizens' initiative gathered 372,000 voter signatures in Los Angeles County to put Measure B on the 2012 ballot. Known as the Safer Sex in the Adult Film Industry Act, Measure B requires all adult film performers to wear condoms on set. Measure B is the first sexual health initiative presented in a general election in United States history. The panelist will describe the process in bringing public awareness to current AFI practices, performers' disease burden, previous attempts at regulations, and advocating for a marginalized population. The session will begin with an overview of past and current industry practices related to medical monitoring and the challenges faced in trying to enforce existing health and safety standards in the AFI. Next, the panelist will discuss the citizens' initiative petitioning process to put Measure B on the ballot. Finally, the panelist will discuss the use of policy statements from major public health organizations to promote Measure B.