FSC To Host Panel Discussion on HIV Stigma and Prevention in Adult Industry at AVN
LAS VEGAS — The Free Speech Coalition will host a special, one-hour panel discussion on HIV in the adult industry, in hopes of inspiring a discussion of what negotiation of health, safety and consent looks like among performers.
The goal of the panel is to break down the stigma and misinformation around HIV and HIV transmission, and to help performers understand how PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis), TasP (Treatment As Prevention) and U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable) can help prevent HIV transmission on-set and off. “The adult industry has long been a leader in HIV prevention and education,” said Eric Paul Leue, Executive Director of Free Speech Coalition. “Even so, there is still a lot of misinformation and stigma about HIV and HIV transmission within the industry. As a longtime activist and educator, I want this conversation to advance our understanding of HIV and HIV prevention.”
The panel will include Atlanta-based Dr. David Holland, the Chief of Communicable Disease Prevention for Fulton County, Georgia; Bella Bathory, Co-Director of the Sex Workers Outreach Project Los Angeles (SWOP-LA); adult performer and anti-stigma activist Charlotte Sartre, and Matthew Rose, Board Member for SWOP National, and Policy and Advocacy Manager of the NMAC (formerly the National Minority AIDS Council). The panel will be moderated by Candace Moore, M.S., a Dallas-based public health administrator with a focus on biomedical and behavioral HIV prevention, transgender healthcare, and a queer sexual health activist.
“We’re bringing together medical experts, sex workers, activists and educators to engage directly with producers, performers, agents and others, to talk about one of the most highly fraught issues facing the industry,” says Leue. “I hope by confronting stigma head on, we can really help change the way HIV prevention is discussed in the industry.”
Performers, producers and others interested can submit questions in advance here.
You can read more about the panel here.
HIV Prevention Panel
Friday, January 25, 2019
4pm
Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas
Festival Hall C
SPEAKER BIOS:
David Holland, MD, MHS
Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Emory University
Dr. Holland has worked in public health and HIV prevention for over 15 years and is currently the chief of communicable disease prevention for Fulton County (Atlanta), Georgia.
Matthew Rose
Policy and Advocacy Manager, NMACBoard Member, SWOP National
Matthew Rose is an HIV/AIDS and Social Justice advocate working in federal health policy. He currently serves as the Policy and Advocacy Manager for NMAC (formerly known as the National Minority AIDS Council). He is responsible for NMAC’s policy and advocacy portfolio. He supports and works to develop and implement NMAC’s policy positions on federal appropriations and authorization legislation related to HIV/AIDS and health disparities. This work has a strong focus in racial justice and health equity. Matthew is the community co-chair of Microbicide Trials Network. He has over a decade of experience in community engagement, federal health policy, HIV science and health equity.
Bella Bathory
Sex Worker, Activist, Scholar, Co-Director of Sex Workers Outreach Project Los Angeles
Bella Bathory is a sex working powerhouse using the freedom and revenue of sex work to fund the revolution. Finishing up a Bachelor's of Biological Sciences, she has worked on projects including navigating HIV support and resources for the FSC, a two-year internship at the Infectious Disease department of Children's Hospital, a three-year internship in Behavioral Health Sciences at the CHLA UCCED department. She teaches annually at USC on Mental Health and Sex Work for their Master's in Social Work Program and is certified as an HIV testing and diagnosis counselor. Outside of professional accolades she is a guerrilla PrEP navigator, and a strong believer in HIV equity and education in the adult industry and beyond.
Charlotte Sartre
Adult Performer
Charlotte has been actively performing for three years so far and is determined to help break down the stigma about HIV and educate others.
Candace Moore, M.S. (Moderator)
Candace Moore, M.S., aka ‘Saint Bettie Crocker’ of the DFW Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, co-founded the Dallas-based Transgender Support Health Services Clinic, which provides hormone replacement therapy in a primary care setting utilizing the Informed Consent model, with community partners to create a gender-affirming clinic designed “by the community, for the community, and according to community defined standards of care.” Serving as a public health administrator and LGBTQ community educator and advocate, Candace specializes in transgender healthcare, biomedical and behavioral HIV prevention, queer sexual health for transgender and genderqueer bodies, and sexual wellness for BDSM, kink, non-monogamous, and Leather communities. Other interests include, using and abusing her cis-white privilege in civil disobedience, cross stitch, 1950’s fashion, and solidifying her ‘Cat Lady Spinster’ status as the proud pet parent to Schatzi, Smokey, and The Bandit.