More Sex Ed From "Dr." Corrigan

I previously wrote about porn star Brent Corrigan's collaboration with with Washington, D.C. , STD prevention group D.C. Fuk !t, to produce educational videos to hopefully reach the youth element of the LGBT community which is participating in alarming amounts of unsafe sex and contracting HIV at disturbing rates - especially given the knowledge that now exists as to how to prevent HIV infection and the spread of other STD's. Sadly, much of the free porn online - which frankly is where many gay youth learn about sex since it surely is not addressed from a gay perspective in all too many public schools - does not include any message as to the dangers of unsafe sex. Since Corrigan is young, cute and apparently well known in the porn world, he is a perfect choice to assist in hopefully getting the attention of young gays and helping them avoid a potentially life changing medical disaster. The latest revealing yet informative video can be found here (warning, NSFW) and The Advocate describes it in part as follows:
*
Porn star Brent Corrigan is back with another condom education video for STD prevention group D.C. Fuk !t, this time offering up a crash course lesson in lube application and the various types of STDs that spread without proper condom use.
*
Corrigan starred in a number of bareback gay adult films before he was 18 but has since become a vocal spokesman for safe-sex education. D.C. Fuk !t offers sex education through a series of sexually explicit and provocative videos that “use sex to sell" safer sex.

*

Orgaizations that assist those with HIV/AIDS - locally these are ACCESS AIDS Care and TACT - do wonderful work, but the far better approach is to stop the spread of infection in the first place. If the new DC Fuk It video campaign saves individuals from infection, kudos to Corrigan for his cooperation.

Safe Sex Education is a Must

Tonight the boyfriend and I are hosting a fundraiser for ACCESSAIDS Care at one of the participating restaurants in the area for Dining Out for Life and what strikes me is that with everything that is now known about HIV/AIDS, young gays are still becoming infected at alarming rates. While HIV/AIDS is not the guaranteed death sentence of 30 years ago, why on earth aren't young people - and many older people more careful? If one is not in a 100% monogamous relationship with someone who has been tested and is HIV-, one should NEVER have unsafe sex. Yet it happens over and over again that care and common sense are thrown to the wind and potentially deadly conduct is engaged in as a result of foolishness, too much alcohol or perhaps drug induced stupidity. Now, porn star Sean Lockhart - better known as Brent Corrigan - who is no stranger to controversy and negative news is featured in same sex videos being put out by Washington D.C.– based STD prevention group DC Fuk !t. The first video - which is definitely NSFW - is explicit and hopefully will get the attention of those who might otherwise engage in stupid conduct since Corrigan is featured in it. Here's some highlights from The Advocate's take on the safe sex campaign:
*
Porn star Brent Corrigan has partnered with Washington D.C.–based STD prevention group DC Fuk !t for a series of instructional videos on proper condom use and sexual health.
*
The program launched last year after a study revealed the nation’s capital has the highest percentage of HIV-positive residents in the country. It promotes safe sex and condom use through the distribution of safe sex kits promoted by a series of provocative, often sexually graphic ads and videos.
*
Cofounder Terry Gerace, M.D. says he recruited Corrigan for the campaign because of what he’s learned since starring in a series of bareback films at the beginning of his career while he was still underage.
*
“He has long since become an advocate for safer sex and has very publicly apologized for his past appearances in films depicting unsafe sexual practices,” Gerace says. Garace talked to The Advocate about Corrigan’s video shoot, why he thinks the young porn star has more than redeemed himself for his bareback films, . .
*
It was really about it being someone who learned from their behavior and made a change, which I think represents most young people. They’ll start out doing something high-risk, and if they’re lucky, they’ll survive it and make a change. That’s what he did, so I think in a lot of ways, he represents your average person.
*
It’s about being honest, really. Gay men don’t learn a lot about sex in the sex-ed classroom. They learn on the Internet, from porn. That’s where they’re getting this material, and we were seeing such resurgence in bareback online that we needed to put out an alternative that focused on safer sex. It’s tongue-in-cheek. a little bit. that they’re public service announcements, but they’re very straightforward in showing you exactly what you have to do. I think they’re pretty effective. I was bracing for negative feedback, and frankly, we haven’t gotten any.
*
Kudos to Fuk !T and Corrigan. I hope the campaign helps individuals to avoid an avoidable disease. And again, DO NOT watch the video at work!!

Cuadra Found Guilty of Murder - But Was Justice Done?

Last week former Virginia Beach escort and porn star/producer Harlow Cuadra was found guilty of first degree homicide in the murder of rival porn producer Brian Kosis. Although there has not been a much local media coverage of the trial - even though he and his partner according to court testimony made over $500,000 a year running a male escort service in generally conservative, Republican dominated Virginia Beach (with a client base that according to locals included high military brass and Washington, D.C., political players) - I have followed the murder trial of Harlow Cuadra online, partly because of the local connection and partly because I question whether or not an openly gay individual can receive justice in the courts. Especially in rural/conservative areas like Wiles-Barre, Pennsylvania, which is hardly a progressive area of the country. My own experience with the courts here in Virginia where judges allow gay bashing to take place during hearings (even though it is forbidden under the Canons of Judicial Conduct) and allow their own religious bigotry to trump their duty to be an unbiased tribunal unfortunately suggests that being gay and being before a judge and/or a jury puts one in an uphill battle posture at best.

*

For the record, I never knew Harlow beyond seeing him dance once or twice as a male dancer in a gay club a number of years back. I'm not even certain if I spoke with him at the time or not. Of those few people I know that knew him, the consensus seems that he wasn't the type to commit this type of brutal crime. The verdict of these same people on his partner, Joseph Kerekes , however, was quite different. They seemed unanimously convinced that Kerekes was all too capable of such violence. At his trial, Cuadra blamed Kerekes for killing Kocis. He said he was inside Kocis' residence talking to him when a jealous Kerekes stormed inside and slashed Kocis' throat with a knife. Kerekes pleaded guilty to second degree murder last December, thus admitting he was involved in the murder if not in fact the actual murderer.

*

Suffice it to say we will probably never know the real truth of precisely what went on the night Kocis died and whether Harlow told the truth about Kerekes killing Kocis. Meanwhile, based on the homophobia and improper judicial conduct I have seen first hand in the Virginia courts will leave me with the nagging doubt that just maybe Harlow was innocent of first degree murder and that the jury instead based its verdict based on his sexual orientation.

*

I look forward to the day when one's sexual orientation will be irrelevant to one's fate in a court of law. That day has yet to arrive in Virginia or I suspect in conservative areas of Pennsylvania.

Porn Producer Murder Trial Expected To Be Drawn-Out and Sordid

I continue to find some humor/irony in the fact that the two suspects in the Bryan Kocis murder trial are from Republican dominated Virginia Beach and that based upon local gossip and rumors, the escort service the suspects operated in Washington, D.C., had prominent closeted Republican members of Congress as clients. I have had people, in fact, flat out recount to me in person supposed details of local escorts being hired by members of Congress and/or senior military personnel. Whether or not any of it is true, I have know way of knowing. Nonetheless, rumors that the pair were set up to silence them have circulated at times locally and on various blogs. Having one been threatened myself by the aide to a closeted former member of Congress who will remain unnamed (I was told that very bad things were going to happen to me), I guess I cannot wholly rule out that possibility. From an attorney perspective, the handling of the case so far borders on a three ring circus and will probably cast doubts on whatever the outcome of the trial. Here are some highlights from 365gay.com:

*

(Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania) The trial of two men accused of killing a gay porn producer they saw as a competitor could last for several months and contain lurid details of how the seamy underbelly of gay life operates. Joseph Kerekes and Harlow Cuadra are accused of killing Bryan Kocis, the owner of Cobra Video in 2006. The prosecution is seeking the death penalty.

*

Each of the accused will be assigned a new lawyer. So far the two accused have had 13 lawyers representing them. A 14th was disqualified by the judge. Even when the trial begins the prosecution alone has indicated it may call more than 30 witnesses. Over 35 prosecution subpoenas have already been issued. Among the expected witnesses is porn star Sean Lockhart.

*

When the pair became suspects in the murder Virginia Beach police and the FBI began their own investigation into the men and started looking into their business. Last July Cuadra and Kerekes were charged in Virginia with racketeering, conspiracy to launder money and conspiracy to receive money from the earnings of prostitution. The pair made a plea agreement in which they pleaded no contest and allowed police in Virginia to seize their assets.