California Considering Random HIV Testing!

[basschick]

kelly, i have known a frighteningly large number of gay, bisexual and straight people who had HIV, KNEW they had HIV and didn't use condoms anyway with people who weren't positive. i've also known plenty of people who have a wide variety of health issues including HIV, diabetes and cancer who choose not to get medical care.

there is a window where testing won't show HIV status yet, and testing for HIV won't show hep C status (hep c is more often fatal but gets a lot less press).

so it seems to me that sex education - and spreading the word about condoms in a serious and accurate way - is the way to go. after all - what good is getting everyone tested going to do when so many people will go to the bars and have sex with someone they don't know without asking questions? not that anyone does ask about hep C- HIV is the only STD most people think will have serious long-term health problems. using a condom correctly in those situations seems to me to be a much more realistic approach than mandatory testing when there's no cure and many people won't change their lifestyles based on the test results.

[Squirt]

So you are saying people shouldnt trust anyone and everyone before they have sex should run to the clinic together

Where did you get that idea from?

Perhaps I've had better sex education then some but that's what they teach you, assume your partner is positive and act accordingly.

People can not know they have HIV as they don't know they could have many other disease. Random testing of the general population for HIV in California where 90% of those tested are not in the high risk group seems a bit draconian where free condoms and kick ass sex education to highly targeted groups would be a better allocation of resources, especially time and money

[hdkbill]

I think it's ironic that you consider the solution to the HIV crisis to be condom use, yet you pay people to bareback.

No irony to it at all Matt. First, let me address your comparison to vaccinations and "forced" testing. Vaccinations for children do in fact protect other children. That is a good thing. I believe that the government, under certain circumstances, has the right and duty to protect it's citizens from others. If it is proven, such as vaccinations for smallpox for example, then it is the duty of the government to insist that it be administered for the greater good. A very strong argument can be made that "forced" testing of HIV does not protect the citizens from each other. It is easily arguable, that forcing HIV tests may well prevent many from even going to the doctor and thus forcing HIV and AIDS underground. One may also argue that if a person knows he is HIV+ because he was "forced" to submit to a HIVtest, then that person would not knowingly has sex with someone without a condom. We all not that isn't true and most of us are aware of stories to the contrary.

Seat belt laws? A very good thing. Why? Because in a collision, if you are not wearing your seat belt you are likely to be thrown from the vehicle, or at minimum tossed around in the vehicle and thus lose control of it. The vehicle is then likely to continue on and injure someone else or create personal property damage. So seat belt laws to protect others, not just the wearer and I support seat belt laws whole heartedly.

How about helmet laws. Helmet laws only protect the wearer of the helmet. They do not protect others. I believe that you....me...all of us have the right to be stupid. Or, that we have the right to take our own life if that is what we want to do. For that reason I never have and never will support helmet laws. Like it or not, stupidity is and should be protected by the U.S. Constitution. Whenever I see someone racing down the road on a motorcycle and not wearing a helmet, I think to my self, "there goes another organ donor, he just doesn't know it yet". Yeah, I think it's stupid not to wear one, but I believe he or she has the right not to wear it if they so choose.

How about the KKK? Do you like them? Believe in what they stand for? Do you support their belief that this country would be better off without jews and niggers.....and, gasp.... QUEERS? I'll bet this is something we can agree on. I hate them also. Being raised in the south I know many "kluckers". As much as I hate them and what they believe in, I support their right to march an expound on their beliefs. They have as much right to march in a parade as our community does. If you take away their right to expound on what they believe, we risk losing our own right to say what we want to say and in what we believe. Like it or not, you cannot take away the rights of one person or group of people, without risking losing your own.

Lastly to your argument about me paying models to have sex without condoms. It's almost like you are saying that I force or encourage or request models not to use condoms. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have never recruited a model. They all come to us freely. They all know what type of films we make and they ask us if they can be in one of our films. You have no idea what steps we take to protect our models. If you want a clue, then look in the latest issue of X-Biz Magazine for a very lengthy article on the subject with me. It might also interest you to know that the new president of Falcon, Todd Montgomery, said something to the effect that under certain circumstances, "there could be the possibility of bareback content being produced by mainline gay adult studios". Read the article for his full and complete quote.

We don't force anyone to do anything that they are not already doing in their private lives. If their was a way to determine their actual status ON THE DAY THEY ARE FILMING, we would use it. As it is, their is no current method for us or anyone to determine the HIV status of a person on the actual day of filming. Actually there are, products such as Ora Sure, but they are only available to doctors offices and clinics. If we accepted test results that were....as AIM requires, current within a month, then we would be creating a false sense of security and very likely create a situation such as occurrd in 2004 when 4 straight women caught HIV from a male model who had a current test. So, of not being able to conduct a test on the day the model performs, we make sure that every model knows, at the time they come to us, that we only produce bareback films and they MUST assume that every model in the film is in fact positive at the time of filming and that they must assume that the others models may likely also have other STD's. And, please, don't attempt the arugment that a model who is hard up for money will do anything to make it. Nearly all of the models we use have full time careers. Money is not the issue for them. Most of them would do it for free. They do because they are exhibitionists or it it a fantasy they have to be a "porn star". We all know that in this industry most models, probably 98% of them don't do it for the money. Only a handful every make a living at it and then only for a short period of time.

We have always supported the right of every person in this country to have the type of sex they choose to have, provided each of the parties involved are adults and are fully informed. To deny that right to anyone is wrong.

Once we begin to take away rights and freedoms....then all rights and freedoms are at jeopardy. If we say, no, you cannot have sex without a condom, then how many steps away are we from saying that gay men can't have sex with each other or a man and a woman cannot have sex doggie style...only in the missionary position. Don't laugh. At one point in the history of this country that was the law in many states and many of those who influence the idiot we currently have in the white house would like to see it go back to being that way.

Do I pay my models? Sure. Do I pay them to have sex without a condom, yeah, I guess so. But reality is I pay them to have sex on camera. It is I who simply chooses not to film movies that feature condoms. Every model knows this before he ever fills out our online application. No model has ever been "forced" to do anything on our set he did not want to do of his own accord and that he doesn't already do in his private life.

Do I believe that someone watching one of our films will choose to go out and participate in unsafe sex because he saw it in an HDK film. Nope! I don't believe that anymore than someone watching a NEWLY RELEASED Falcon film with no condoms which was filmed in the 80's or that someone who watches Law and Order on TV will go out and commit muder. The only difference between our company and most of the companies who are now releasing "no-condom" films is the fact that we are up front about it, plainly state who we are and what we do and we make sure that on every box cover and at the beginning of every film, we tell every viewer that HIV is bad thing and they need to do everything they can to keep from getting it...we tell them they don't want it....and we tell them that the best way to prevent it, if they are having sex with others, is with the use of condoms. We, at least, are honest with our models and our viewers about the risks involved in not using a condom. But then, we believe that everyone in this country has the right to decide for themselves the level of risk they are willing to take.

I would suggest, that if you want to continue a discussion of the risks of barebacking or whether or not it is right or wrong, that you create a thread for such purpose since we have quickly digressed away from the topic of this thread. I'll be happy to join you in such a debate anywhere.

Now, excuse me while I go watch another episode of Law and Order.

Bill

[hdkbill]

I personally dont mind proving myself with a simple little test ( all they do is rub your mouth with this swab and you get results ASAP If that small little action can help our world and catch stupid people than Im all for it AS LONG AS IT IS NOT FOR SOME HIDDEN AGENDA TYPE CAUSE LIKE DONMIKE was saying. If they are truly trying to help people then Im going to back it. Once again this is my opinion and Im not trying to be rude of forceful of my opinion but Im aloud to have one and Im not knocking anyone else by what Im saying either.. TO EACH THERE OWN. Lots of love and peace
Love KT

KT,

Unfortunately, you are not quite correct about the "rub your mouth with this swab". That test is the oral test. Currently, if that test is positive, you then take the, I forget, but either the Western Blot test or the Elisa test. That is a blood draw. If whichever one it is comes back positive, you then take the other one. That is how it is confirmed.

What's going to happen to those who refuse to take the blood test? Are they going to be "forced" to do so? Are they going to be reported? It so, to whom? Gee, is it possible that at 2 AM the health department, accompanied by the police are going to show up at their door if they refuse the blood test? What happens to the results? How confidential will the results be? Are those with positive results counseled?

Don Mike isn't wrong when he suggest the possibility of a conspiracy. Remember the syphilis testing with black men in the south where they were intentionally infected and then left untreated so that the doctors could see how the disease would progress? How, how about agent orange? Remember, we were told it was safe.

And we all know that the current administration in Washington or Sacramento wouldn't lie to us, don't we? Hmmm, wonder whatever happened to the weapons of mass destruction in Iraq?

It's been said here already many times......to slow down (we are never going to stop HIV/AIDS in this country or the world...too much money is being made from it and other than polio, no virus to the best of my knowledge has ever been effectively erradicated) we must have education, it must start at a young age and it must be taught in every school in the land.

Also, don't blame yourself honey....it isn't women who are the largest carriers of the disease. The black and latino population has a dis-proportionate share of the disease within it's population, followed by white 18 - 25 year old. Want to know why? The young population has NEVER been exposed to HIV. They think it's an "old gay mans disease". Most of them don't know anyone with it. Most have received virtually no education about it, how it's transmitted and how to prevent it....especially if they live in rural areas. And to make matters worse, when they get out of high school and migrate to the gay "meccas" like LA, SF, NYC, the first thing they do is pick up the free gay rags. And, what do they see? Full page or double truck ads produced by Merck or Pfizer or one of the other companies, showing young, healthy, masculine guys who are saying...."I control my HIV with one pill a day". I'd venture to say that most of these young gay men never bother to read the back of the page, where all of the side effects and precautions are written in 4 point type.

That, my dear, is what is causing the increase in HIV in this country.

Hugs,

Bill

[MistahTaylor]

Where did you get that idea from?

Perhaps I've had better sex education then some but that's what they teach you, assume your partner is positive and act accordingly.

People can not know they have HIV as they don't know they could have many other disease. Random testing of the general population for HIV in California where 90% of those tested are not in the high risk group seems a bit draconian where free condoms and kick ass sex education to highly targeted groups would be a better allocation of resources, especially time and money

well to bad sex education people are not taking seriously especially gay & str8s who dont care and just wanna get off and are more concerned with there fucking penis or vagina than the welfare of others.. I know plenty of men and personal friends who knew a ton about sex education and they still didnt care.. Ever heard of bug chasers?? I dont know.. I was not trying to be arguementative.. or rude so sorry if I offended you squirt or you patty but I just feel very passionatly about some sort of resolution cause as it stands right now it is getting way out of hand.. I work at a HIV clinic in my free time as a volunteer and let me tell you.. If you heard some of these storys and how broken and hurt these people are.. WE GENERATE MORE TRAFFIC THAN THE MCDONALDS NEXT STORE.. That is not a good thing and we consistantly have seen our numbers go up.. Something must happen or it seems some type doom is headed for us unless we find a cure thats all.. I guess it just makes me sad inside and I think about it often People are hurting because of alot of other individuals aND I suppose I have a bigger heart than most and alot of stuff gets to little ole me.. Sorry If I offended anyone or was assumptious but you have to agree sex education and condoms just are not ENOUGH.. Im sorry IT IS JUST NOT ENOUGH AND EVEN THOUGH THIS BILL IS PROBABLY NOT THE SOLUTION.. Then what is?? We need some sort of divine intervention because the road is leading to a sick hell for everyone.
LOVE KT

[MistahTaylor]

KT,

Unfortunately, you are not quite correct about the "rub your mouth with this swab". That test is the oral test. Currently, if that test is positive, you then take the, I forget, but either the Western Blot test or the Elisa test. That is a blood draw. If whichever one it is comes back positive, you then take the other one. That is how it is confirmed.

That, my dear, is what is causing the increase in HIV in this country.

Hugs,

Bill

Yeah I know that is how a HIV test is confirmed.. I guess, I just want this world to be a better place and to me being 22 almost 23 I just watch my beautiful world and even some of my beautiful friends being sucked in by this evil force.. I dont know what is.. But it is not good and something has to happen A CURE, something.. I hate to see people suffering and in pain. It hurts me inside and I just wanna help the world.. I know our government is very very deceptive.. If the government is not going to help and have a hidden agenda.. Then when is the world going to wake up for a moment and stop for a second and realize if we dont work together for a solution our own governments wont help us with then we must do something.. I just fear that this is never going to happen and to me it is very discouraging.
LOVE KT

P.s.
Hey bill, I hope you dont think I was trying to be rude or nasty to anyone.. I just wish that things would maybe better sometimes instead of getting worse like with everything else. you know what I mean ??? I love everyone here and I hope everyone is well today. Lots of love and kisses to all.

[Squirt]

....Im sorry IT IS JUST NOT ENOUGH AND EVEN THOUGH THIS BILL IS PROBABLY NOT THE SOLUTION.. Then what is??....

Solutions:

A) Find a cure

B) Persuade those would would not have safe sex, to have safe sex

C) Convince people to have no sex

Human nature shows all humans have weaknesses that can cause our death. Some of us will drink ourselves to death. Others will smoke ourselves to death. Some of us will overdose on drugs (legal and illegal). Others of us will die in car accidents. Some of us will die because we don't like going to the doctor and we will not find out we have a terminal illness. Some of us are susceptible to cancer and other terminal illnesses whether we get treatment or not. Others of us will have sex unprotected and contract a potentially fatal STD. Some of us will eat ourselves to death. The list goes on.

At the end of the day, most people on the planet die of a preventable cause of death. Why?

[MistahTaylor]

Solutions:

A) Find a cure

B) Persuade those would would not have safe sex, to have safe sex

C) Convince people to have no sex

Human nature shows all humans have weaknesses that can cause our death. Some of us will drink ourselves to death. Others will smoke ourselves to death. Some of us will overdose on drugs (legal and illegal). Others of us will die in car accidents. Some of us will die because we don't like going to the doctor and we will not find out we have a terminal illness. Some of us are susceptible to cancer and other terminal illnesses whether we get treatment or not. Others of us will have sex unprotected and contract a potentially fatal STD. Some of us will eat ourselves to death. The list goes on.

At the end of the day, most people on the planet die of a preventable cause of death. Why?

I respect your opinion squirt.. But Im sorry.. I dont really think there is a comparison with any of those to HIV.. Sex may be an addiction for some but I dont think as many as the other stated above.. Sex is a choice everyone makes and alot things you stated are not really a choice but something you cannot really control I know that a lot of people wanna have sex but ultimately unless you get raped the choice is yours.. I have been an alcoholic and used drugs and Im clean now and have not touched a drink for 8 months or longer and I have not used drugs for 2 years almost and Im very proud of myself and would never go back but I think HIV is bit more severe.. All of the other things you mentioned are cureable with exception of car accident but Im sure most people who get in a car accident didnt want it to happen and it is nothing like picking up a drinking or not putting on a condom because and accident is not really self inflicted and Im sorry I just dont see a cure in the near future for HIV.. Eventually maybe but not right now.. I want one but like stated before drug companys have no reason to even make one.. Making pills and selling them is there life blood and any pill company who made a cure would loose out on the 9 billion dollars buisness that keeps on growing and growing because people dont wanna put forth effort to make a change in there sexual habits.. I dont think it is bad to wish and want a cure and I do believe one will surface eventually but going around and being a whore and causing OUT OF CONTROL infection banking on a cure will eventually be here to save my ass is not good.. There is 2 sides to everything and who knows maybe there may never be a cure?? You never ever know in this life.. I mean Im sure there will be.. but really who honestly can say YES for sure.. I think the biggest problem is people in there opinion on something they may know nothing about or have experienced.. I think many people think they have the anwsers but I dont know if anyone of us in this room can say they have walked a mile in the shoes of a man or woman who got infected by someone decieving them and Im sure they wouldnt want to either.. I think if other people ( not mentioning names) had HIV they would kinda change there tune a bit.. but this is just my opinion..
LOVE KT