Here’s How Media Is Covering Call for Porn Coronavirus Shutdown

On Sunday night, the adult industry trade group Free Speech Coalition called for a voluntary, two-week suspension of all porn productions in the United States and Canada, in response to the fast-moving coronavirus pandemic that had killed 102 Americans, and five Canadians, as of Tuesday afternoon. In fact, the FSC asked performers and workers in the adult industry not only to stop film production, but to “stay home as much as possible, leaving the house only for necessities. We all must do our part to flatten the growth curve of this global pandemic.” BuzzFeed News warned that the creation of new adult content may now “grind to a halt across North America,” in the wake of the FSC’s recommended voluntary shutdown. But BuzzFeed also noted that during the coronavirus pandemic, which appears likely to make it harder for performers to work even absent a full shutdown, fans who are currently accustomed to getting their online porn for free should start paying. “This is the time to pay for your porn,” porn producer FiveStar of Luster Productions told BuzzFeed. “I know that there’s a lot of free porn on the internet and you don’t have to, but if you can there are a lot of performers that need your help out there, and this is the time to show appreciation.” Rolling Stone also covered the proposed shutdown—and wondered whether performers would actually comply with the FSC call. “The backlash to the adult industry shutdown is already taking place on social media,” the venerable music and pop culture magazine reported. “It remains to be seen whether everyone who is reliant on income from shoots alone will adhere to the call for a voluntary shutdown.” Even the Rupert Murdoch-owned New York Post tabloid devoted coverage to the FSC bulletin, quoteing FSC Executive Director Michelle LeBlanc saying that the coalition was “working as quickly as possible to develop relief plans” for performers and other industry workers who lose income due to the called-for production halt.  On Tuesday, Donald Trump announced that the U.S. Treasury would be sending checks to Americans within the next two weeks, to help workers across industries get through the economic crisis caused by the public health coronavirus disaster. But the administration gave no specifics as to who would receive the payments, and what the amounts of money in the checks would actually be. The site Mashable, which last week published a report on the pandemic’s impact on the porn industry, also ran a straightforward account of the FSC press release calling for the voluntary shutdown. Britain’s sensationalist Sun tabloid also reported the FSC’s shutdown call, but also said that some performers have already found a way to capitalize on the widespread self-isolation required to slow the pandemic. “Canny webcam girls were cashing in on the coronavirus lockdown thanks to bored—and randy—homeworkers,” The Sun wrote.  Photo By Awkwafaba / Wikimedia Commons