Dr. Tibbals Takes Aim at 'Shameful' AHF Measure B Billboards

LOS ANGELES—Dr. Chauntelle Tibbals is seriously pissed off about the billboards placed around Los Angeles by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation in support of Measure B, the mandatory condoms-for-porn-stars ballot initiative whose only sponsor is...AHF. Tibbals, a "researcher, scholar, professor, mentor, organizer, community member, activist, volunteer, friend, and ally fighting for civil rights and social justice," who also is decidedly sex-positive as well as a friend to the adult entertainment industry, isn't pissed off just because of the ballot measure, but because of the hypocritical message delivered by the billboards (and AHF) to the citizens of Los Angeles. But first a little context. "Shaming is when you attempt to dishonor and/or condemn an individual (individuals, entities) via guilt, embarrassment, unworthiness, or disgrace," writes Tibbals on her blog, pvvonline.com. "Put simply, for example, when two people are arguing and one (probably the one who is losing) says something like – 'Whatever, you know nothing because you’re so [insert mean attack about any number of unrelated personal characteristics, perceived failures, etc here]!!' – that’s shaming." She continues, "Trust me, I’ve seen a lot, but never in all my days have I seen an example of shaming quite as blatant as this one." Embedded just below the remark is the aforementioned billboard—a black background with the words, "Pornographers Say No on B." Now a little background. Since the beginning of his campaign to force rubber onto every porn dick in the county—and maybe the world—AHF president Michael Weinstein has repeatedly said that he has nothing against porn or the industry that produces it. Again, this is not a one-time statement by Weinstein, but a continuing refrain that has served mainly to mollify any criticisms that he has some sort of anti-porn score to settle, and in so doing reinforce his claim that he just wants to protect the performers. Then he creates a public campaign that demeans the very people he says he wants to help. "Really?" asks Tibbals. "The 'pornographers' say? That’s the game you’re gonna play, AHF? Reeeeally? "Thank you, AIDS Healthcare Foundation for shaming 'pornographers' in this way. "Thank you, AIDS Healthcare Foundation for using donor funds – monies that I’m sure were given to your 'own self-created social enterprises' under the auspices of working to 'rid the world of AIDS' (quotes from AHF mission statement here) –  to shame 'pornographers' in this way. "Because I know that’s what you’re doing!! I know what you’re really saying with this ad is 'Eww look at these evil nasty people who say ‘No on B’ – pornographers!! Ewwwwwww!! "They’re too gross and awful to know anything about what they know, and you don’t want to be associated with Them, do you?' "How dare you?" Unfortunately, that is precisely the point: they do dare to argue their point dishonestly, and resorting to such scurrilous tactics. Worse, it betrays once again the duplicitous nature of AHF, which also had no problem misleading the citizens of Los Angeles County during their campaign to get enough signatures to place the measure on November's ballot. "Shame on you," says Tibbals toward the end of her screed, and of course she is right to shame the shamers, but after watching the way AHF has conducted itself over the past few years, we have no illusions that anyone over there will be able to take that shame to heart. That itself is a shame. However—on the bright side—there is every reason to hope that AHF's plan will backfire. After all, the billboard could easily be interpreted to be against Measure B. That's what it says, after all. Pornographers say no on B. Hell, if your average Angelino is driving down the street and that message meets his or her eye, is it not possible that they would just take the message to heart as is? If the adult actors don't want it, it must be bad. AHF, in its myopia, assumes everyone is up to speed on the condom issue and will get its twisted messaging, but it's just as likely that the attempt to get votes by denigrating the very people it says it wants to help is too clever by half. Image: The AHF "Measure B" billboard.