Successful advocacy for condoms in adult films: Guerrilla tactics on the streets of la to challenge voter misinformation

All major public health organizations promote condom use as a best practice in preventing HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). To raise awareness about the importance of condom use, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation launched a free condom distribution nationwide bus tour, known as the Condom Nation Tour. Once the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and other activists succeeded in getting Measure B onto the Los Angeles County ballot, known as the Safer Sex in the Adult Film Industry Act, they partnered with the Condom Nation Tour to reach out to Angelinos with campaign messages that promoted health and safety in the adult film industry (AFI). The purpose of the partnership was to bring public awareness to Angelinos about the AFI's current industry practices of ignoring regulations and subsequently experiencing epidemic rates of STIs. In this presentation, the panelist will describe how the Condom Nation Tour infrastructure supported Measure B. The panelist will discuss how the tour mobilized volunteers to promote health and safety in the AFI through the medium of free condoms and pamphlets. The panelist will also discuss the misinformation encountered from the opposition, and how it was addressed through street advocacy. The panelist will describe the specific ways that the AFI sought to mislead voters and how these were efforts were counteracted through references of respected medical associations. Lastly, the panelist will discuss their focus on early voters in key neighborhoods, and how this strategy helped to get early positive election results that eventually carried the day.