Well, the same article has hit news everywhere: Derrick Burts is getting aid from AIDS Healthcare Foundation. Is that important? Only if you have been following this issue and the extreme propaganda pushed by AHF regarding condoms and their attacks on Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation (AIM). Let’s take a look at everything, including Derrick Burts, a.k.a. Derek Chambers, a.k.a. Cameron Reed, a.k.a. Cameron Reid.
As soon as Doug started reading the post on “Derrick Burts calling for condoms in porn” at the Los Angeles Times website, my first question was, “Where is AIDS Healthcare Foundation in this article?” He had just read the first few sentences and I knew there would be an eventual endorsement because 1) the “call for condoms” comes from AHF as part of their campaign to make money off of their endorsement with Lifestyles condoms, and 2) because it immediately bashed AIM.
“Burts said AIM staff had warned him not to contact the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, whose officials have been among the clinic’s chief critics. In frustration, Burts said he went to an AIDS Healthcare Foundation center in Los Angeles on Nov. 24 and saw a doctor, never identifying himself as Patient Zeta.
Pleased with the care he received at the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Burts contacted the group’s leaders last week, identified himself as Patient Zeta and said he wanted to speak out on their behalf and in favor of enforcing mandatory condom use in porn productions. Foundation officials have scheduled a news conference with Burts for 10 a.m. Wednesday.”
Whether you like AIM or not, there’s no credit given to the clinic for not only detecting an HIV-positive performer, but also no credit given to the clinic for preventing Derrick Burts from giving it to anyone else. You will never hear praise for AIM or their testing system even though hundreds of people work in the adult industry daily and the clinic has prevented numerous outbreaks. Think about that. How often do you hear about HIV in straight porn? 1998, before AIM when Marc Wallice faked a negative test. People were going to different clinics then and a test could be easily faked if you didn’t know what to look for or who to contact. 2004 with Darren James because he shot with an untested woman in Brazil. 2006 with one woman who was detected and whom no one has heard from again. And this year with a crossover gay performer, again, detected and gave it to no one else on the straight side. Gay, we don’t know because they don’t test. Think about how many people have been prevented from entering the straight porn pool because of this voluntary system Sharon Mitchell created after Marc Wallice faked a negative test in 1998, the same year I entered the adult industry. This has nothing to do with not needing a better system or opposing condoms, I just want everyone reading to at least see through the top layer of bullshit before proceeding with the rest of the issues. The gay industry is unsafe. They don’t implement testing and they don’t always implement condoms, but AIM is being attacked because a gay performer crossed over while still working in the gay industry. And who stands to benefit from AIM being ousted? AHF. Not only that, they use the inferior ELIZA testing system over the more accurate, more expensive and more time-sensitive PCR-DNA system in place at AIM. THESE POINTS MATTER! You can be the dumbest person on the planet and see the irrational progression from the AHF campaign. They are wasting the industry’s time but rehashing things we’re all already supposed to know. All the information needs to be seen here and it is being carefully withheld and spun negligently by AHF. And they stand next to Shelley Lubben, someone who thinks gays should be cured of their gayness. THAT MATTERS TO ME. So any affiliation as long as it gets AHF in the door for the testing and distribution of condoms and the government grants is okay?? As long as “the beast is slain,” according to Shelley Lubben? Do not tell me it doesn’t matter. It matters!
I found this thread in a forum months ago (NSFW!!!!), and I would like confirmation, somehow, that this is Derrick Burts, because if it is, then this is his first instance of speaking out–contrary to the bold statement in the article all over the internet today.
“I’m proud to be HIV poz! [Cameron Reed speaks!!!]
I got as informed as I could about the disease – I attended the PLUS seminar hosted by the Stop Aids folks here in LA. I also “came out” about my HIV status to friends and my family. I’m fortunate to have a close relationship with my family and knew that as upset as they would be, they’d still love and accept me. For me, keeping my status a secret would have only added to the sense of shame I felt about it and would have cut me off form those close to me.
HIV/AIDS is an epidemic and in epidemics there will be casualties. It’s nobody’s fault that they seroconverted. Sure, I made a lousy decision to not insist on the guy fucking me to use a rubber, but I’m only human and humans make lousy decisions at times.
You say “there’s no way back”. Of course there isn’t. There’s no way back in anything in life. Dwelling on shoulda, woulda, coulda only spins me around in circles. I only have there here and now and I can either choose to make the most of what life has to offer or else wallow in self-pity. I find the fomer works much better than the latter.”
“[responding to an angry person] They are all in this biz and should know the risks. Let them eat HIV if they get it. I took the risks and got burned and will live with it but I feel no remorse on anyone I put in danger. THEY made the choice to become a hooker. I can’t stand people like you and your holier that thou attitude. I should fuck you up the ass while you sleep!”
“You are FUCKING IGNORANT! Yes, I will have to take pills the rest of my life, but I will live a normal lifespan thanks to meds. You are in this biz and you are this UNEDUCATED about HIV? No one wastes away and dies from AIDS anymore IF they are on meds and stay on them.
People don’t know who you are, you moron. You aren’t a household name. No one reads Playboy anymore you asshole.
yea run away to bed, faggot meathead. I kicked your ass tonight and you ran to bed. Remember that, asshole…”
“[when prompted to contact XBiz or The Howard Stern Show] Look, I appreciate all the advice and the offers, but I am taking my time and weighing all my options.”
“[to an angry commenter about someone whose credibility was risked] Look, no offense, but if her credibility was damaged, it was her own fault.”
“HIV is a big shock, and a significant change, to everyone who unfortunately catches it. It does not mean however that your life is over. I am young, and this is a virus that can be controlled with proper treatment.
I indeed have this virus. That is step number one. Step number two, is that I have come to terms with my status. I have found a doctor who deals with this condition. Now I will focus on whether I need to start treatment or not at the moment. I may want to seek one on one counseling if I deem it necessary, but I take it all one step at a time.
I have HIV; HIV does not have ME.
Take it easy and feel free to reach out as needed. That’s the main goal behind these boards.
Wishing you well,
-Cameron Reed.”
“I was numb too, I think it is normal for some of us. While some need to grieve with tears and become an emotional wreck others simply compartmentalize. From the first day I found out I was poz I went into survival mode… No tears, no emotion, I went online and started to educate myself. I found this site and some great people too”
“How do I know who I’m responding to? I’m sure you’re not the only faceless fuck posting here. I just respond to what I feel like responding to. I couldn’t care less about you or any of the other cowards that don’t post a name. If a post is directed at me, I respond if I feel like doing so.
Again, there are many people that have lived with this disease for well over 20 years. Only ignorant, uneducated morons like you think it is still a death sentence. If you ended up with HIV, I am sure you would kill yourself.
I think it’s funny people try to throw this “You’re going to die” nonsense in my face when I have already stated that I am excited to turn the page to the next chapter and plan on being here for a very long time. www.poz.com has thousands of people like me who were “Stupid enough to catch HIV,” but many have been living with it for 20+ years. The only way that I would die in 5 years is if I needed to start meds and didn’t do so. I will most likely outlive you.”
“Friends,
Check out this video interview of me and James Jamesson.
Enjoy!” – This is a short interview from a gay porn set and not necessary to watch if you are paying attention to anything Derrick/Cameron has to say, compared to his current video via every media outlet, announcing his affiliation with AHF., but and part of the reason I think this is actually Derrick/Cameron posting to this thread.
“Kaycee [his girlfriend] is fine. As for who else is infected, how the hell do I know?”
“Christian is a health nut. I admit I was careless and used to bareback guys I met in gay clubs before I was in porn. I know Christian would never do that. He released a statement that said he does not visit clubs or drink or do drugs. I was using drugs and alcohol when I visited clubs and barebacked men. I just got unlucky one day. But I enjoyed “Taking it raw.”"
“Still too long. Can’t be bothered. And I have explained this many times but you just can’t get it through your skull. Posting under an anonymous name is OK, but no name? Why even bother? You obviously don’t think highly enough of your posts to sign them, so why should I read them?
I think people are just upset that I am OK with being +. They expect me to just give up. Most people are miserable in their lives so they want company. So it pisses them off that someone who is + is happier in life than they are.
And Derek Chambers in in my signature, which is attached to each and every one of my posts. I’m proud of my time in gay porn, and in straight porn.”
“Sorry to disappoint you but you should expect me to be around for 40-50 more years at least with the new drugs and more coming all the time. No one dies from this disease anymore. You sound angry. I am sure you are a bitter failure in life.”
“Orange County loves me. I am a Disneyland season pass holder and an Angels season ticket holder (Partial season plan). Hockey, not the biggest fan but I get to a game here and there.”
“This past week has been hell for me, on Thursday I got into a huge fight with my best friend. To sum a long story short, I tried to hurt myself by overdosing.
I did something stupid this weekend. There was this poz guy that would sometimes text me saying we should hang out. After the fight he actually texted me, I came to his place. We had sexual intercourse. Sadly he did not use a condom, (Whilst knowing he was HIV positive, (and of course so was I)
He did not cum in me, we did it for maybe 10 minutes. Here is where my fear comes from.
Pre-Cum AND because neither of us are on medication. My viral load is less then 1000. His viral load he said was around 30000. Plus he was the top, and tops usually have a higher risk of infecting people then the bottom. Yes it doesn’t matter whether you are top/bottom. Though a bottom supposedly has a higher risk. (Condoms of course are the best way to prevent transmission, I’ve had HIV for one month)I am very afraid, that I might have been potentially re-infected. Yesterday I felt really bad “Why did I not ask him to wear a condom” — Obviously I messed up. ha ha. So I was wondering statistically even though he did not ejaculate in me, what is the risk of me being reinfected if NEITHER of us were on meds. It does scare me alot. This is killing me, and I am sure there was a high risk anyway.”
“FYI, when you post “Facts” you need to cite a source if you want to be taken seriously. Name calling doesn’t help your case either and if you’re over the age of 12 it makes you sound silly.” – good advice for Shelley Lubben
I don’t have an opinion of Derrick Burts/Cameron Reid beyond my heartbreak at this entire situation. Why the gay industry doesn’t implement testing I will never understand, but clearly, testing does help. I would also like to point out that the gay community has a support system. The gay industry also has production pools for HIV-positive performers to work with each other. Straight men and women don’t have this kind of support when they test positive. Derrick can continue to work and for many years. The whole thing is just sickening and I’m appalled at AHF’s tactics to undermine the current testing system that should be testing the entire industry and not just one side. There are probably several workable solutions, including condoms, but this is how the discussion begins on that side. Insults, accusations and lies.
My favorite part about the “Derrick speaks for the first time” video on the LA Times website is the argument that AIM claimed he contracted HIV from his personal life, which has nothing to do with their detecting it and preventing him from spreading it, and the fact that the issues are conflated and that the language is vague. “They” don’t want you to wear condoms, after talking about AIM would assume that AIM doesn’t want talent to wear condoms, yet they offer free condoms on the counter at their clinic and have no say in actual production procedures beyond testing the actors, so “they” is the producers. And “barebacking” is a fetish on the gay side. He said that the gay side requires condoms, but that’s not true. Some do not enforce condoms. Everyone in the indsutry knows that a combination of testing and condoms are a great way to go. How that comes to fruition should be the next steps taken, but because AHF, UCLA, Los Anegeles County Department of Health, CalOSHA and their affiliates are more intent on bullying and spanking the industry’s ass, we are left to stare at the same angry rehashing of a “condom mandate” though they keep saying it’s already mandatory. The problem is that the rules don’t suit the industry (condoms during felatio and goggles and gloves, all from a mandate set for clinics in the early 90s without regard to the specifics about adult work or any input from the people of the industry, which no other industry would ever tolerate), and there is an employee vs. independent contractor issue. Are these people talking about this? No. There is no “discussion.” The adult industry was purposely kept from a “discussion” at UCLA where the only person invited was someone who had never spoken at any of the previous “discussions”. Why? Because they don’t like what the industry has to say, but they have to care because you can’t regulate an industry full of adults without them protesting. You can overwork children on mainstream shoots, you can send them off to pageants and treat them however you like because they don’t have a say, but adults do, and it’s confounding that they would be surprised that adults in a legal industry would have a say in how they run their business. Compromise would be wonderful excapt that these sources are attacking. They don’t care to discuss, they don’t care for facts, they just need the next victim to serve as a mouthpiece for an industry they only intend to conquer and divide.
For a great analysis of what the adult industry faces and how it is being attacked, this PDF is thorough:
Self-Regulation in the Adult Film Industry: Why Are HIV Outbreaks the Exception and Not the Norm?
Also, from Jezebel:
HIV-Positive Porn Star Was Gay-To-Straight
Here’s another good article courtesy of Michael Whiteacre’s reference on his FaceBook page:
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