Cross Posted at Legal Schnauzer
We have written extensively about potential pitfalls in the modern workplace. My wife and I have experienced them. (See here and here ). You, or someone close to you, probably has, too.
If we think we've got it tough, perhaps we should consider today's porn star. What if we had to step into their, ah, shoes.
At least five major porn studios have shut down after an actor tested positive last week for HIV, according to a report at In These Times . The story has a number of legal angles. And we learn that the people who produce porn have much in common with the people who produce "justice."
Writes reporter Lindsay Beyerstein:
At this point, no one knows how many people the infected actor may have exposed to HIV, or whether he got infected at work. News of the positive test sparked widespread alarm in the industry because the infected man is reportedly a big star who's dating another big star. Despite its flamboyant public image, the porn industry in Southern California is still a pretty small world. An estimated 1,200-1,500 performers work on-camera.
For those of us wondering when the shelves will contain Debbie Does Dallas Again and Again and Again and . . . well, these could be anxious times. For porn actors, it's an issue with life-and-death implications--and it goes to the heart of the industry's culture. Writes Beyerstein:
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
