Hot, Safe Sex
If you are going to be critical when someone has done something wrong, then you must also applaud them when they take corrective actions.
Flava Works Inc., the corporate entity behind CocoDorm, FlavaMen, and other online, video and print media depicting gay men of color in sexually explicit images, is responding to public criticism and governmental investigations into their operations, not with excuses but with a plan to produce more responsible adult entertainment.
They issued this press release today:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Dekenric Wiley
Flava Works 305-438-9450
FLAVA WORKS ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIPSBegins with new leadership, new priorities
Flava Works Inc. announces this week several substantial efforts to reaffirm the company’s commitment to the highest quality of adult entertainment by and for men of color, as well the promotion of safer sex practices among all models. These efforts include dramatic changes to the leadership of the company; new partnerships with community based activists and organizations dealing with HIV/AIDS; and a brand new safer sex campaign running in all Flava Works publications.
NEW LEADERSHIP Significant structural changes have been made to the leadership and character of the Flava Works enterprise. Last week, Phillip Bleicher stepped down as the company’s president to make way for new leadership, Dekenric Wiley, as a part of the company’s commitment to promoting healthy consensual sex practices by and for men of color.
“SEXIER SEX, SAFER SEX” “Sexier Sex (is) Safer Sex” is a new campaign that will be running in all Flava Works publications which encourages safer sex practices among models as well as viewers. The campaign also includes new safer sex workshops and interventions in the company’s online chat rooms and websites. Also, as a part of this new campaign, bareback sex (sex without condoms) will be prohibited in all Flava Works pornographic productions.
COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS AND ADVOCACY Moreover, Flava Works is now consulting and collaborating with several community based organizations that target gay men of color, particularly New York City’s People of Color in Crisis (POCC). As a result of these collaborations, Flava Works will be sponsoring several safer sex events/workshops in the near future that will feature models from both its pornographic and non pornographic publications. The company will also be incorporating safer sex messages in all public appearances made by the company’s models at various events across the country.
Flava Works produces the adult gay FlavaMen Magazine and the travel and entertainment guide, FlavaLife Magazine in addition to their numerous websites including PapiCock.com, Thugsforsex.com, Thugboy.com and CocoDorm.com
While others may disagree, to my mind the criticism has never been about silencing Flava Works or putting them out of business. I readily acknowledge being a regular consumer of their products. Pornography has a place in society and adults who want to make it (using adult performers), buy it or view it, should be allowed to.
But in a world where Black and Latin communities bear the brunt of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, irresponsible imagery affects and impacts us all. “Raw” sex has been made to seem hotter, sexier, more erotic and desirable than protected, safer sex, making it harder for safe sex messages to penetrate the consciousness of impressionable minds. Public health educators, already handcuffed by government funding that comes with very clear restrictions on how explicitly they can talk about human sexuality, have to compete against slickly made DVDs and websites that show more graphically appealing counter messages.
So getting a porn producer to join the education effort is a significant step. Let us hope through hot, safe videos, they can help to reshape the public perception around the use of condoms. Let us also hope that this new enlightenment extends to the treatment of their models, and that more frequent HIV testing is done, health care and counseling is made available should any model test positive, and that no performers are required to engage in risky acts in order to get paid or pay off residence fees, as earlier alleged.
Posted by bernie at June 27, 2006 10:42 PMBravo to safe sex and bravo to cocodorm for coming clean.
Posted by: Erik Estrada at June 28, 2006 11:05 AMExcellent news! Glad to see they are taking 'the high road' to repair their reputation. Bravo
Posted by: ReggieH at June 28, 2006 10:09 PMThis is a very significant development, Bernie!
Posted by: Mad Professah at July 5, 2006 7:11 PMThis is certainly great news.
But I have to take it with a grain of salt, as far as Phil 'stepping down'. It seems too convenient to me. However, as long as the message that goes out from Coco products is positive and all about SAFER sex, then I'll applaud them.
But let's keep a close eye on them.
Posted by: taylor Siluwé at July 5, 2006 10:00 PM