Adult film industry stars and sex workers will be denied help from Donald Trump’s $2 trillion coronavirus relief package.
The exemption will apply to those who "present live performances of a prurient sexual nature or derive directly or indirectly more than de minimis gross revenue through the sale of products or services, or the presentation of any depictions or displays, of a prurient sexual nature".
The new COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application on the Small Business Administration (SBA) website requires applicants to swear under penalty of perjury as they pass the checklist of requirements.
The loan is part of the massive $2 trillion coronavirus relief package signed by the US administration to mitigate the economic and fiscal impact from the coronavirus pandemic.
Incensed at the exemption, Alana Evans, President of the Adult Performers Actors Guild, is quoted by The Daily Beast as saying:
"From my understanding, COVID-19 isn’t choosing its victims based on their social or economic background, but our government has decided that millions of tax-paying citizens are unworthy of their federal aid because we have 'prurient' jobs".
I’m ANGRY! Every “prurient” worker and business should be ANGRY! They will take our taxes but deny us aid?! This is wrong! You should all be ANGRY for us! #PrurientAndProud
— Alana "Prurient" Evans (@alanaevansxxx) April 1, 2020
The American pornographic actress continued: "Even if you meet the entire list of requirements for the disaster relief loan, the fact that your income is derived from the adult industry makes you unworthy of their aid".
Jacqueline Frances, a stripper, was cited by the HuffPost as calling the decision “dehumanizing”.
"They're asking all of us, who work legally, to feel ashamed about what we do. They are actively making life harder for sex workers in this crisis".
In part, the restrictions stem from long-standing regulations at the SBA, as loan eligibility rules dating before the coronavirus outbreak also include the “prurient sexual nature” clause.
However, the outrage expressed over the exemption by the porn industry workers comes as numerous other rules have been amended due to the global health crisis generated by the pandemic.
Amid the social-distancing protocols and lockdowns in place over the spreading COVID-19 pandemic, some sex workers revealed that business is rising.
“Actually, I’ve seen upticks in some of my income because people are home and they want entertainment and they want to get away from all the corona stuff", The Wrap quotes adult film actress Maitland Ward as saying.
“I’m stuck at home, too, so I’m doing a lot more content just to fill time as well. People are hunkered down and so they want to see content. That’s a remarkable thing — that we can earn good money in a crisis like this, when a lot of people are hurting. I’m really grateful for that".
Despite the exemptions, unemployment can be filed through the larger stimulus packages, with self-employed performers and other independent workers eligible to receive a $1,200 pay check.
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on Thursday announced that the stimulus checks would be arriving in two weeks for nearly all Americans.
“I’m now committing to two weeks. We’re delivering on our commitments… This money does people no good if it shows up in four months", he said.
Massive COVID-19 Relief Aid
US President Donald Trump signed into law a $2 trillion relief package on 27 March aimed at mitigating the economic and financial woes of businesses across the country, reeling from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The bill comes in the wake of earlier measures adopted by Congress to provide unemployment insurance and food assistance for millions of US workers. Extensive moves were also taken by the US Federal Reserve to boost confidence in the financial system.
According to data from Johns Hopkins University, there are currently more than 312,200 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the United States, and more than 8,500 deaths have resulted. Some 14,997 people have recovered from the virus.
