The Truth Shall Set You Free
What an interesting 48 hours I’ve had.
Two days ago, I posted an item about a recent report issued by the Chicago Department of Public Health that mentioned the findings from their investigation into health practices at CocoDorm.com, the gay porn website that used to be located in the Windy City. (See article below.) Within hours I received emails attempting to silence me for reporting on what is in a publicly accessible government agency document, from which I simply quoted verbatim.
A day later, a complaint was filed by the folks at Flavaworks, owners of CocoDorm, with the company that hosts this blog, claiming copyright infringement for my use of a screenshot of their website. Due to some confusion involving my webhost and their communications to me of this complaint, this site actually went down for about an hour earlier today. The screenshot is gone. The article will stay.
A fellow blogger, Jasmyne Cannick, whose writing and steadfast activism I greatly admire, also wrote about the CDPH report, and also received similar attempts at intimidation from the same source at CocoDorm.
In the interim, a television station in South Florida, NBC6 WTVJ, ran this report on last night’s newcast.
In the wake of a recent spate of bad press, it seems an awful lot of effort is being expended by Flavaworks to silence people who are merely reporting on what is happening. One is left to wonder why?
As a trained and former full-time working journalist, I understand the rules regarding libel and slander. As was explained to me so many years ago in my communications law classes, the truth is the strongest defense against any libel accusation. Report verifiable fact and those who object will be hard-pressed to find fault or prove malicious intent. I believe I have upheld those tenets.
Absent any real grounds upon which to object to what they perceive as negative news, character assassination is the next step, and that too has been engaged in. Jasmyne’s site has seen comments posted that read more like public relations spin than honest statements from legitimate readers. I don’t know the source of those comments, but I have my suspicions.
In response to one of them that referenced me, and in the interest of full disclosure, I am not now, nor have I ever claimed to be either a saint or a prude. I own pornography. I own lots of pornography. My porn collection dates back to the mid-1980’s. I even own pornography produced by Flavaworks (Dorm Life 5, 6 and 7, for the record) and think a lot of their work is quite hot. I’ve even told them so in emails, including those in which I suggested ways to make them even hotter. I make no secret of any of this.
But hot porn shouldn’t have to be unsafe for those who appear in it, and this is at the heart of my problem with this company. Sex workers have a hard enough life. They should not have to subject themselves to unsafe working conditions or management that seems indifferent to their safety.
As someone who at various times has worked for two of the oldest HIV/AIDS agencies in New York City, I am well aware of HIV risks, transmission and prevention information. I once use to teach it. Testing people once is not enough. If they are required by the rules of their relationship with CocoDorm to perform a live sex show at least once daily, they need to be tested at least weekly, if not more frequently. If they test positive, they need to be given treatment. They should not be allowed to continue to work or simply kicked out of the house. If models are performing penetrative sex acts with multiple partners in the same scene, they need a new condom for each partner! Just wearing one condom isn’t enough. It’s the "new hole/new condom" principle. Otherwise you are merely transferring microscopic and potentially dangerous organisms from one partner to the next.
When the Chicago Free Press first reported on the CDPH investigation in April 2006, Flavaworks spokesmen denied they were doing anything wrong. They claimed they were operating safely. The recently released CDPH report suggests otherwise.
Now that similar questions are being raised about health safety at their new location in Miami, as mentioned in the television story, they are making the same denials. What proof has Flavaworks presented that should make us believe them now?
I am a Black gay man who loves my Black gay brothers unconditionally. I am always concerned about our collective well-being. I can’t sit idly by, staring at a video image, knowing the people I’m watching may be unnecessarily putting themselves at risk of infectious disease while someone else makes money off of it. That’s not sexy. That’s not hot.
Instead of trying to silence bloggers for writing about what’s going on, perhaps Flavaworks should spend more time really doing something to keep their models safe.
Addendum In the interest of the truth, and in response to criticism that I failed to report that the Illinois Attorney General's office dropped its investigation of Philip Bleicher's alleged involvement in a scheme to defraud school systems through a separate entity, that is indeed correct. The Illinois AG did in fact drop their pursuit of a civil case. However this was only because federal investigators are now pursuing a criminal investigation. The case involves alleged interstate violations, which are the sole jurisdiction of federal law enforcement agencies.
Posted by bernie at May 9, 2007 3:37 PMWell said... Good to see your site is back up.
Posted by: C. Baptiste-Williams at May 9, 2007 4:55 PMChild do your thing, and keep it real with the truth, I for one don't know which is worse, the guy who runs it and is trying to shut you down, and for what real reason? Or, the poor lost souls who have to have unsafe sex to make a living in 2007. Or the pathetic men who "pay" to watch it happen.Just a hot mess and a sad, sick shame no matter how you look at it.
Posted by: Larry at May 9, 2007 5:08 PMFrankly, their threats of legal action against bloggers sheds light on the way they do business. If If ever doubted the reports before, I don't any longer.
Posted by: j. brotherlove at May 9, 2007 6:42 PMDAYYYYYYYYYYUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMM! I go away for a little while and come back to find all hell breaking out! What in the world?????????
Posted by: CreoleInDC at May 9, 2007 9:43 PMBrother,
We THANK you for keeping us informed and armed with information against those who clearly don't have the best interests of our community in mind. This Bleicher guy, who I'm sure is white, is simply profiting off of these young men and unfortunately, they're allowing him to. It's sick and disgusting and reminiscent of Tuskeegee.
Posted by: Robert Jones, Jr. at May 9, 2007 10:20 PMI agree with your last statement but it's also on the models to keep themselves safe. If sex is your business then treat your body like a temple because that's what is making you money.
I'm sure these guys are not making any kid of money at all. They are probably young guys who left home and are out trying to make it but fell down the wrong path. So they have to love themselves enough to want to walk away and leave the white man holding nothing.
But what protection is there for porn stars? There is no sex workers union that I know of...so if they want it to change and be legal then they will fly right.
But to be honest Cocodorm is the WORST porn I've ever seen.
Posted by: GG at May 10, 2007 12:11 AMWow. Sadness. Insanity.
Thanks, Bernard, for shining the light on this.
Posted by: JW Richard at May 10, 2007 1:42 AMThis is some BS, it's amazing what they do to try to shut down the truth. For them to take advantage of our young brothers and then try to shut down the uproar when we find out whats going on, no F that! Thank you for standing your ground!
Sorry, I'm just a little angry about this :)
Posted by: j_most at May 10, 2007 1:57 AMI commend you for covering this story. I believe, if polled, a number of us -- myself included -- would say yeah we have some. However, what becomes unethical is when they publish emails. That was to their undoing.
Hang in there. I'm behind you. I do have some bad feelings about this guy and the young men though. I can't put my finger on it but it's something.
Dang, look at you mr investigative reporter, just stirring up trouble. ;-) On a serious note, it's tragic and disgusting that the owner and his enablers have failed to maintain a safe environment for the performers. Do people just not care about human life anymore? Is it all about money? Hopefully, they put the owner under the jail once he's prosecuted.
I wonder who left the info for the neighbors? And how long have they been renting that house? The owner had no clue what was going on? Hasn't visited his/her rental property in awhile I guess. Did I hear correctly in the news report that the guy's in the house had a fight with a hammer?
Posted by: Shawn at May 10, 2007 10:25 AMfight the good fight, uncle bernie.
i'll be here holding down the fort and keeping your DVD collection safe and sound!
in the meantime, our community needs to be having more honest, public discussions about the erotics of risk and the new face of sex positivity.
Posted by: larryly at May 10, 2007 3:28 PMSeriously this is the last comment,
I've had some time now since the airing of the broadcast to think, read and reply. Yes this is a post from a legitimate coco dorm model. I don't claim affiliation with any other post here but i thank you for your continued support.
Lets address some things and get them on the table.
Beef isn't over the fact that there are post of the Chicago story on your web pages, its in the fact that you in no way provided the final outcome of that case. That it was dropped.
Don't ensue a mob please. ( I'd like thank C. Baptiste-Williams for inclusion of that verdict)
Yes there were issues with some of the models testing positive for STD's. Yet that was on arrival to the dorm or during their stay in the dorm. Again your not providing the fact that the only way the city of Chicago could know these boys had anything was through testing, sponsored by the dorm and at the time what was thought as a reliable and confidential testing agency. So would these young men still have std's regardless of their stay at the dorm? More than likely, only difference is they would not have known it, and to me that's worse because now their infected with disease and ignorance of that disease.
The issue with fleeing the scene of the crime. another one sided facts yes the dorm moved to Miami, but what wasn't mentioned was the fact that the lease was signed before the press release in Chicago and can be proven with receipts and contracts for office spaces that date as far back as January.
The issue with Philip Bliecher and the stealing of the charity money to fund his porn industry, Another case who officials long since abandoned. Did you know the issue in that case wasn't about porn at all but the use of what one agency considered their sole use of, a un-trademark name, the fact that Phil later went into porn didn't really help the situation, but was proven to be unassociated.
Raw sex, Yes Flava Works did debut a movie/series depicting unprotected sex in 2005 in attempt to keep up with it's competitors, and a demand from the market. (In actuality this is a business). Not mentioned is, since its debut no other movie depicting unprotected sex has been produced by the company since. Furthermore those movies have not been shot in the Miami dorm house or with its models.
GENOCIDE: of all the claims here this has to be the one that made me really take notice. Now it really makes me wonder what is the true motivation behind some of these comments, do you honestly feel there is some form of genocide taking place here if so what kind? by meaning its the entire wiping out of a race or culture of people. Do you honestly see that happening. No not in the least. The guys who choose to come to the dorm do so for their own reasons and believe me they vary. No one is asked to pay for their ticket here or their ticket home it is covered by the company, along with food housing and mostly all expenses for R&R. As well as financial compensation for their time. Believe me some people will and do have bad experiences here just like with any other profession or in real life, have you ever not like someone you work with? Did you want to do something and once you got right into it, you had second thoughts and reconsidered? Who hasn't. In cases like that the guys have options still. They can simply pay their return ticket (assuming they want to leave that day) or wait the required two weeks for their return ticket. (Advance tickets are more cost effective). Yet Neglected are the guys who come to the dorm have a great time, and more often that are begged to go back home. because they don't want to leave or even the guys who make more than one appearance at the dorm(this is to mirror the MTV version of a voyeared house and allow for new cast members)
Children in the Neighborhood, This seems to be the motivating drive behind the outcry for the dorm being shut down. Preservation of their innocence correct? In that same sense as I've stated before the sex is in a closed/controlled environment much like the one's you all dwell in with no harassment for the indulgence of your desire's. Kids don't come in the house. simple as that.
The new dorm and its residents are enjoying what we all consider our basic freedoms.We all are consenting discreet adults. Yes there is money being made, for god sakes it's America who doesn't have a way to make money off something that is considered common everyday occurrences.They found ways to charge for air (O2 bars) I honestly feel with advances in testing and the fact that these guys care whether or not they live or die should be the main topic here not the past. Is HIV/AIDS an epidemic because of the Dorm , NO should we as whole try to educate rather than berate?, Yes.
In closing i would only like to say, Porn isn't a demoralization of society more so we are the individuals who, when done safely act out the fantasies and desires of the people who purchase it. We are in no way demons or rejects of society and many of us are educated people. The only difference is we're just a lot more comfortable with our sexuality and hence not bound by conservative restrictions.
Much Love
Alex Flex
Well, Alex Flex, while I have never been to the site, other than to see what type of "men" are there, and they are not my type on any level, and not worth a penny to "watch" have sex, safe or otherwise. That said, I kind of agree with you about in regard to you all being adults and if you want to engage in unsafe sex, knock yourself out, but, there should be a disclaimer and also a few safe sex messages along the way, since if you all are as "educated" as you claim, you would realize that not everyone in 2007 still is aware of the consequences of multiple partners getting their swirl on. Porn isn't illegal, true, but, only those with rather low self esteems would be in it IMO, but, its your choice, not mine.
And, I somehow doubt that exposing the owner is from "conservatives" since most would be happy to see the young black men in the "dorm" get HIV and be gone. Public venue, open for public discussion, and not the cowardly threats of its owner, after all, he is getting paid way more than any of the whatever you call the people who appear in the "dorm."
Posted by: Larry at May 10, 2007 11:45 PMhttp://thisisthediaspora.blogspot.com/2007/05/slaughterhouse.html
Posted by: Robert Jones, Jr. at May 11, 2007 12:01 AMThank god for you B. Tarver and Jasmyne and Keith, not only is it for the articles you write but for the light it provides. There's a distinct reason I know you and articles like these point the way. My brother, My self.
Thank you for this.