California- About 50 students gathered for a lively, candid discussion with gay pornographic actor, activist and entrepreneur Michael Lucas Thursday night at Stanford University.

During a lengthy question and answer session, students inquired about his personal views and challenged him on his controversial beliefs.

All of Lucas’ films in the past decade have featured condoms, a decision Lucas said has had negative financial consequences.

“People never fantasize about sex with condoms,” he said. “It’s no secret that sex without condoms is much more pleasurable. But I have always preferred to make less money and send the right message. Seeing beautiful men enjoying each other while using condoms makes [viewers] think.”

In his 12 years in the adult entertainment business, Lucas said, there was never an incident of a condom breaking.

“After having sex more often and with more partners than most people, I can only attribute my negative HIV status to always using a condom when it comes to sex,” he said.

He refuted student remarks about the possibility of AIDS transmission despite condom use.

“It’s not possible to get AIDS when you have a condom on,” Lucas said. “It’s not an easily transmitted virus.”

However, some students felt that his views regarding the effectiveness of condom use were misinformed.

“He was just slightly hypocritical,” said Ben Robinson ’08, “saying you need to be educated, but that you can’t get AIDS using a condom.”

Lucas added that he does not ask partners or performers about their HIV status because it is both private and pointless.

“It’s incredibly cruel to people who have AIDS,” he said. “If someone has AIDS, I should fire him? I should deny him the right to work for me?”

In response to a question about the relation between pornography and sexual violence, Lucas emphasized that gay pornography does not lead to violence.

“I think it can only serve very good purposes, such as sexual education,” he said. “In general, porn saves people from lots of trouble. It’s good for the economy. Very often, when you are on a business trip, you don’t have time to run out to the bar and bring someone to a hotel room, so in that way pornography can be very handy.”

Lucas also discussed his anti-Muslim sentiments<\p>–<\p>opinions that drew controversy from some students before the event.

“What’s the point to respect their culture, or supposed culture, when they have a strong contempt for mine?” Lucas said. “I have a problem with people separating terrorists from the world that breeds them, from the world that originates them, which is the world of Islam.”

Lucas contested student comments that he was generalizing about certain communities.

“I don’t generalize<\p>–<\p>a fact is a fact,” Lucas said. “I am definitely not a racist if I’m telling you the truth. The Muslim community is much more homophobic than the black community, the black community is much more homophobic than the white community<\p>–<\p>and there are reasons for that.”

According to ASSU Speakers Bureau Director Meera Venu ’08, the event was not what the Speakers Bureau had planned or expected.

“We thought it would be a lot more about safe sex and AIDS prevention,” she said, “but obviously the Speakers Bureau can’t censor the people we bring to speak.”

Brian Rodriguez ‘06, formerly the director of the Sexual Health Peer Resource Center (SHPRC), said he agreed with Lucas’ sexual health messages, but was disappointed with the way Lucas approached issues of race, culture and religion.

“I came in rooting for him, thinking maybe he’d be different than The Daily portrayed him,” Rodriguez said. “But he ended up disappointing me.”