The Bare-backing dilemma: Ty Lattimore Speaks?

I am reposting this from Pure Black Beauty Yahoo Group. What are your thoughts? Post them here:

From Bernard Bradshaw:

"Surprise. A little controversy is stirring on this blog. From Sexandthe2ndcity:

Recently, I have been writing about the stupidity of having bareback sex with people you don't know. I discussed the lack of responsibility that black pornographers (like Ty Lattimore) display when they produce bareback sex videos in 2006, when the rate of HIV is disproportionately affecting African-Americans.

I received the following letter from black pornstar Ty Lattimore:

To Whom it May Concern:

I recently was forwarded an email about me and my production company and the fact that I recently produced a bareback video. I do not know who Bernard Shaw [sic] is, nor do I really care. While controversy is not anything new to me nor typically spend time worrying about, I felt I would respond. I am very aware of the Hiv Rate of Black men. I was also aware that soume folks might be critical. My position is that consenting adults have the right to make any choice they choose. I find it hypocritical how many people chose to act like barebacking does not exist.

At no point do I recommend any sexual choices for anyone. I provide entertainment. My models and I made very conscious choices. Its also funny how many folks watch straight videos particulary because no condom is used. There are many other companies that only produce bareback films. My company produces some bareback and some with condoms.

But as with anything I produce whether its sex parties, video or etc....if its not for you then thats cool. Hit Delete. Just as some folks oppose bareback, there are folks who think all porn should be outlawed, or that sex parties are wrong. I always will believe that folks have a right to make their own choice. Just as you have the choice to not buy these things. Nobody is ever going to push their beliefs on me. A lot of men bareback, some occasionally, and other just want to see someone else do it. Either way, I produce what I want and what I think my audience wants to see.

Judging by the response, folks seem to like the movie. But better yet, you keep right on talking about it. Just make sure to include the website while you debating it!

Ty Lattimore

Response from Bernard Bradshaw at Sexandthe2ndcity:

For real Ty? I won't be including the website, buy an ad. Sadly, based on his response, it seems like money was his primary motivator when making a bareback video.

I'll make this simple. Ty missed the entire point. No one is arguing that consenting adults do not have the right to engage in bareback sex. That is your right to be stupid and fuck strangers without condoms. And I defend an individual's right to do that. But my critique was whether its responsible for a well known, sucessful, and respected black pornographer to create videos that make dangerous sexual activity between black men look sexy and appealing?

Personally, I don't think so. I think that we have responsibilities. It's not enough to say simply that you don't recommend any sexual choices for anyone and that you merely provide entertainment. That's irresponsible. Do you have a right to do it? Sure. Is it fucked up? Yes!

Also, Ty misses the point when he says that people are hypocritical when they choose to act like barebacking doesn't exist. In my post on barebacking, I not only acknowledge that barebacking is a sexy, and hot form of sex--but in fact its the best. But it is also the riskiest and most dangerous sex. So no one is pretending like barebacking doesn't exist, but does that mean we need to go out and celebrate it without discussing the real life, real world dangers that accompany it?

In some of the comments on my site, Ty goes on to say that other porn production houses produce black bareback videos--like Flavaworks which produces Cocodorm. I 100% agree, they do. And they are equally irresponsible.

However, one of the reasons why I pointed out Ty is because a reader of mine was surprised that Ty, a black man heading a porn house, would be irresponsible enough to create bareback porn. Flavaworks is not a black owned and operated business. That doesn't mean that they shouldn't be called out for being irresponsible, but if we can't expect our own black producers to be responsible to our communities of color--how are going to expect white producers of black gay porn to act responsibly?

Anyway, I'm exhausted. Keep making money sensationalizing the unsafe. "

Ok blog reader. You have read the exchange. So, how do you feel about bare-backing pornography? Hit me back with comments.

Shem hotep.