BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - AIDS activists carrying props resembling giant condoms rallied outside the front door of porn mogul Larry Flynt's office on Thursday, demanding actors in his company's adult films be required to use condoms.
The approximately 20 demonstrators said the Flynt Publications office in Beverly Hills was singled out both because of Flynt's prominence in the adult entertainment industry and his recent statement in a Los Angeles Times commentary that films with condoms "don't sell." "We think it's Larry Flynt's responsibility to set an example," said Michael Weinstein, president of the AIDS Health Care Foundation.
At least five porn actors tested positive for HIV in April. The outbreak virtually shut down the multibillion-dollar industry when actors were put on a voluntary quarantine preventing them from doing sex scenes until they had passed two monthly HIV tests.
The outbreak led to an investigation by California's workplace safety agency and calls for state oversight of the largely self-regulating industry.
"We don't need any more patients. The recent outbreak in the adult film industry is an indication that the testing methods, which we think are very good, are not sufficient to protect the actors," Weinstein said.
A call left for Flynt Publications representatives was not immediately returned Thursday.
Some of the larger production companies, such as Vivid Entertainment and Wicked Pictures, require condom use. The industry also relies on monthly HIV tests administered by the nonprofit Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation.
