The task of establishing an adult talent union should be up to the male performers, Dr. Sharon Mitchell said Tuesday night at the sparsely attended talent meeting at Str8Up Studios.
"I think a guild is a really good idea," Mitchell, the executive director of the Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation, told the group. "There have been people who really wanted to do it for a long time.
"…I really thought it'd be up to the guys. Women come and go and they call their shots and make a lot of money. But guys are around. If guys really were to stick together..."
Adult performer Mr. Marcus, who called the meeting, said that the proposed Adult Actors Guild is "not going to happen overnight."
"It's going to take a minute," he said.
The sparse turnout, about six weeks since the last HIV-positive performer of the outbreak was identified, was symptomatic of the apathy that constantly affects the industry. Tuesday marked one of the first "talent only" meetings since the HIV situation that Mitchell has been available to answer questions.
But less than 10 porn stars filled the meeting room that included three sections of chairs set up around one main table, where Mitchell sat. There were more agents, managers and media there than porn stars at one point.
Bret Rockman and Tyler Wood attended on short notice.
"If Sharon can make it, I can make it," Rockman said. "I didn't even know about it until about an hour ago."
Mr. Marcus said, "This is something new. This is something that comes out of a sense of urgency."
Mitchell began by saying she had not really had the chance to talk about what she wanted in a forum such as this. She discussed how this is a transient industry that sees a "constant flow" of talent. Wearing a black tanktop with the AIM Healthcare logo and white pants, Mitchell stood up and worked the room.
"In every HIV outbreak so far the common denominator has been unprotected, anal sex," she said.
She also said that in a few weeks she would be able to finally confirm whether the latest HIV strain that was initiated by Darren James came from a country other than the United States as expected.
"It appears to be a sub-type from another country," she said.
Mitchell cautioned that the industry standard PCR/DNA test is not perfect and that the seemingly safer two-week testing window was still not a 100- percent guarantee that a virus would not be transmitted. It took 17 days to detect performer Lara Roxxx as HIV positive, Mitchell noted.
One friend of AIM Healthcare with a medical background said that the PCR/DNA test is the best one commercially available for the adult industry.
Mitchell commended a few local agents for getting foreign incoming performers to send their blood work in advance. She said that AIM verifies the credentials of overseas clinics.
"What AIM is here to do is to enforce what the community wants to do," Mitchell continued.
Then she referred to the two-week and 30-day testing standards now used.
"I'm afraid we have two different standards," Mitchell said. "… The bottom line is the test is only as good as the day it was drawn."
"It's a high-risk job," manager Rob Baker said. "You got to accept it or you got to get out."
Mitchell said she was caught in crossfire from the government and the adult industry during the outbreak. Some local officials asserted that she announced the Darren James positive test prematurely, while some industry members thought she waited too long.
Mitchell said any type of talent-run, scene-tracking database has to be "voluntary," "free" and "can't have anybody's private information."
The AVN Hall of Fame performer told the group she hears numerous requests for prevention education, but that her monthly prevention meetings usually attract between five to seven performers.
"They are enthusiastic, though," she said.
There were other themes discussed that remain problematic for an industry that shuns regulation. Issues of enforceability, accountability and some agents "not playing by the rules" – will continue to be part of an internal debate.
"Be prepared to lose work to do the right thing," Mitchell said.
Mr. Marcus said the next talent meeting would be July 6.
