2016 Annual Review

  • Dear Members of the Free Speech Coalition,

    We went into this past year facing the prospect of onerous Cal/OSHA regulations and the daunting Prop 60, a double-threat that Board Chair Jeffrey Douglas called “the gravest existential threat to the adult industry since the Nixon Administration.” Against all odds, we beat back both, building an incredible momentum within the industry and with mainstream coalition partners while racking up significant victories besides.

    The 25th year of the organization was my first year as Executive Director of the Free Speech Coalition, and I want to thank you for your trust, your patience, and your contributions this year empowering us to defend and fight for our industry.

    We still face strong headwinds, including the prosecution and other harassment under the new administration, but we’re better prepared than we ever have been:

    In the past year, we’ve cut our debt, reduced our operational expenses, and saw more than fifty new members join the trade association. From workers in the industry to multinational companies - by supporting us you enable us to devote better resources to the battles ahead.

    In the past year, we’ve established relationships with everyone from the ACLU to the Interntational AIDS Society to the Center for Democracy and Technology to Mozilla, Google, and Amazon, meaning we will be better understood, more effective, and never again alone in the fight ahead.

    We continue to look to you for your help moving forward. Twenty-five years of moving the needle forward for our rights as an industry, workers, and the communities to which we belong have drained our resources, and there is more to fight for ahead. But in the past year, we’ve learned how resilient, efficient and effective we can be when we fight as one, with a unified voice and an unwavering determination.

    Best,
    Eric Paul Leue

  • Securing Financial Access
    Over the past year, the FSC has worked to establish banking solutions for individuals anywhere in the US. for small businesses in most states, and large businesses across the country. We have managed to build relationships with "top-tier" banking institutions that now offer services including full corporate accounts with wealth management services to corporations that exceed $1 million in assets.

    Fighting Counterfeit Products
    We have met repeatedly with representatives from Amazon to address counterfeit pleasure products and price gouging, as well as negotiating volume discounts for adult shippers.

    Defeat of Prop 60
    Despite being outspent more than 10-to-1, we were able of to defeat Prop 60 in one of the biggest political upsets in state history. We secured the backing of every major political party in the state, as well as more than 60 newspaper editorial boards, and hundreds of organizations and advocates.

    Defeat of 2016 Cal/OSHA Regulations
    We bucked the odds to defeat condom-and-goggle regulations proposed by AHF, and forced the Division to include us in the regulatory process going forward.

    Increased Site Security
    We worked directly with Center for Democracy and Technology on a major initiative to move adult sites into the secure HTTPS protocol, protecting consumers and businesses.

    Major Victories Over 2257
    We were victorious in our fight to have significant portions of the 2257 record keeping regulations declared unconstitutional on the basis of the 4th Amendment and continue to battle on the 1st Amendment front.

  • Secure Rights of Our Industry and its Workers
    We see adult industry businesses, workers, and independent contractors suffer from discrimination when it comes to housing, employment, and banking. IS The Free Speech Coalition is working on policy proposals that would clarify and extend our rights and protections.

    Tackle Corporate Censorship
    From app stores on different mobile operating systems to ad networks run by companies like Facebook and Google to social media networks like Tumblr and Twitter, all have a tremendous impact on our work. The FSC is working to establish direct lines to tackle misinformation that inhibits our access, explain why adult businesses should have access, and work out rules that both sides can abide by.

    Confront the "Porn as Public Health Crisis" Rhetoric
    We are currently building an online resource for journalists, legislators and litigants. We're not only working to debunk the pseudoscience, but creating a database of researchers, therapists, legal experts, and others who can speak to the to issue, whether in print or in court.

    Work for Smarter Regulations
    Pleasure product retailers and manufacturers know that adult manufacturers continually face harassment and regulatory hurdles that similar industries do not. In 2017, we will be working directly with regulators to help clear the way for simpler, common-sense methods of regulation.

    Address Adult Entertainment and Pleasure Product Bans, Blocks, & Filters
    We are working with partners at the ACLU, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Woodhull Freedom Foundation, and Center for Democracy and Technology to devise strategies on how to best tackle ban, block, and filter legislation/regulation that target pleasure product and adult entertainment companies.

    Monitor International Initiatives
    As a global industry we are committed to promoting sexual health and wellness through innovation and pleasure, but all too often moral crusades seek to blame our industry for human trafficking, sex trafficking, child abuse and child pornography while neglecting to mention that we actively fight against all those and more. We will monitor initiatives like the UK age verification bill and discuss self-regulatory needs, education, and advocacy as effective tools in helping shape paths with the public and elected officials.