Porn Performers Won’t Be Required To Wear Condoms On Set — & They’re Calling It A Huge Win

Yesterday, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) rejected a controversial measure that would have required the state's porn performers to wear condoms on set. The decision was a huge win for performers who have long advocated for the right to make their own choices about their bodies. While Cal/OSHA's Standards Board voted three-two in favor of the measure, four "yes" votes were needed to pass it. Industry members who attended the hearing erupted in cheers as the vote was announced, while many took to Twitter to express their joy:

The five-hour hearing featured testimony from dozens of performers who argued that because viewers aren't interested in seeing condoms in porn, condom requirements would push much of the industry underground and criminalize those involved. "All of us are here for the same reason: We want to keep California workers safe," porn performer SiouxsieQ stated in her testimony, adding that the proposed measure would effectively drive filming further from regulatory oversight. The question of bodily integrity was also in sharp focus. "It just feels so often that we are dismissed,” porn performer Lorelei Lee explained to Vocativ after the vote. "People think we can’t advocate for ourselves, that we can’t advocate for own health. So we don’t expect people who have real power to listen to us. So it’s so moving when they really do."