Pink Visual CEO Allison Vivas to Receive FSC Leadership Award

CANOGA PARK, Calif. – Free Speech Coalition is proud to announce that Pink Visual CEO Allison Vivas is the recipient of the 2012 FSC Leadership Award. The award will be presented during The XBIZ Awards Show.

FSC’s Leadership Award is presented to the adult entertainment industry business or individual who demonstrates excellence in leading by example. This award can be given for community service, activism, creating a positive and outstanding work environment, innovations and other qualities that lift the business or individual above the rest.

“Allison has great instinct, a brilliant mind and a boatload of courage,” FSC Executive Director Diane Duke said. “She combines those qualities to provide leadership not only for Pink Visual, but also for our industry as a whole.”

In March, Vivas accompanied FSC and a group of industry leaders to San Francisco to protest the approval of .XXX at the ICANN Board of Directors meeting. She spoke to the media on behalf of the adult industry’s opposition to the sTLD, and to the ICANN Board of Directors. Vivas and Pink Visual also issued a letter to ICM Registry, founder of the .XXX domain, to demand protection of the company’s brands, standing united with the biggest adult brands.

In 2011, Vivas and Pink Visual made it company policy to protect the health and safety of its performers by funding monthly testing.

Pink Visual has aggressively prosecuted copyright infringement, as well as sponsoring B2B seminars for industry leaders to learn more about strategies for dealing with content piracy and litigation. Vivas has strongly supported FSC’s Anti-Piracy Action Program (FSCAPAP.com).

Vivas exemplifies the industry executive – professional; proud to be part of the adult industry; fighting to protect the rights of adult business owners; and pushing to keep in the lead with new technologies for the consumer.

The XBIZ Awards will be held on Jan 10, at the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, CA.

City of Los Angeles Files Complaint Against AHF on Validity of Condom Ballot Measure

CANOGA PARK, Calif. – A lawsuit was filed yesterday by the City of Los Angeles challenging the constitutionality of AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s (AHF) ballot initiative. The initiative, if passed, would force local officials to enforce mandatory condom regulations on adult production sets. Named as defendants in the suit are various AHF personnel, including AHF President Michael Weinstein.

“Clearly AHF has chosen to squander its donors resources by filing frivolous lawsuits and ballot initiatives instead of providing valuable resources toward the prevention and treatment of HIV,” FSC Executive Director Diane Duke said. “It is heartening to know that the City of Los Angeles will draw the line on AHF's political grandstanding when it comes to wasting taxpayer dollars.

“History has shown us that regulating sexual behavior between consenting adults does not work. The best way to prevent the transmission of HIV and other STIs is by providing quality information and sexual health service, all of which are successfully provided through adult industry protocols and best practices,” Duke added.

The city’s complaint argues that the ballot proposal is preempted by state regulations that require barrier protection on adult sets and that enforcement of those regulations falls under state jurisdiction. There have been two previous rulings in complaints filed by AHF, where the judge decided that L.A. County officials are not compelled to enforce regulations on behalf of state health & safety agency Cal/OSHA.

The city also states that the process involved in bringing the ballot measure to the voters would be a “waste” of taxpayer money. The City of Los Angeles also said in the complaint that the ballot initiative is potentially unconstitutional; if passed by voters in June, the city raised concerns of more money being spent if the initiative was overturned on constitutional grounds.

“The City of Los Angeles has acted responsibly to protect the taxpayers from enacting an unenforceable measure preempted by State Law. The adult industry has been extraordinarily successful in preventing HIV infections through its testing protocols and self-regulation,” Free Speech Coalition (FSC) Board Chair Jeffrey Douglas said.

FSC has worked with industry stakeholders, compliance experts and legal advisers to develop the FSC Bloodbourne Pathogen Plan, and other policies for industry appropriate regulations.

In April, when Adult Industry Medical Healthcare (AIM) clinic was closed, largely due to legal attacks by AHF, FSC stepped up to provide Adult Production Healthcare & Safety Services (APHSS.org) as a resource for performer testing and production protocols.

“Thankfully, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office is acting in an abundance of caution and not simply marching to the tune called by Michael Weinstein,” attorney and APHSS.org legal adviser Karen Tynan commented.

“The industry is working with the state toward adopting industry specific and industry appropriate safety standards, and these efforts by AHF and Michael Weinstein are an attempt to interfere in that process,” Tynan said. “The Los Angeles City Attorney is correct that the ballot initiative would be a complete waste of taxpayer money.”