LOS ANGELES—Adult superstar Julia Ann is taking the fight against Prop. 60 online, creating hundreds of avatars for adult industry personalities and their fans to show their opposition to an upcoming ballot measure targeting adult workers. The proposition, which will be on the California ballot November 8, misleads voters by disguising the issue to be about condoms, rather than lawsuits and harassment.
If passed, Prop 60 will incentivize any resident of California to sue adult performers, and anyone with a financial interest in the film, for not using condoms, creating a lawsuit bonanza that will cost California millions. Like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, the manipulative and suggestive wording makes this proposition dangerous by taking advantage of the prejudices uniformed voters may have about the adult industry.
During this divisive election season, it’s difficult to get Republicans, Democrats, and Independents to agree on anything, but Prop 60 is so poorly drafted that is the only measure on the November ballot with tri-partisan opposition. Julia Ann joins the California Democratic Party, the California Republican Party, the California Libertarian Party, Equality California, The Transgender Law Center, the Los Angeles LGBT Center, AIDS Project Los Angeles, San Francisco AIDS Foundation, San Francisco Medical Society, the Friends Committee on National Legislation, the Adult Performer Advocacy Committee, Free Speech Coalition and a growing list of organizations that oppose Proposition 60.
“I was getting very frustrated with the AHF [AIDS Healthcare Foundation, whose president Michael Weinstein is the sole proponent of the initiative] Prop 60 commercials and it was so bothersome to know that we just can't compete with that type of campaign since we don't have the financial means,” she said. “However, the adult industry has cultivated an extreme social media presence and I thought a grassroots effort could to shed light onto what is really happening for us and how we truly feel. So, I sat down with the No On 60 buttons that were already created and formed social media templates so we could educate voters and raise awareness about on our opposition.”
Julia Ann’s personalized memes show an image of the performer along with the image of the “No on 60” button designed by Isabel Dresler and used by opponents of the proposed legislation. So far, Ann has created more than 400 memes for adult performers, with more than 50 new orders coming each day.
“I’ve done well over 400 avatars so far. My ultimate goal is to make 800 and the requests keep coming,” she said. “I can't reiterate it enough. Our safety and our livelihood is at risk. The public is being misled about what Prop 60 really is. I'm very protective of the hard-working, tax paying individuals who put roofs over their heads and food on the table for their loved ones through their work in the industry."
