This article was published on June 4th, 2014

Barebacking is a hot-button issue in the gay porn industry. According to statistics, most of the gay audience prefers models not wear a condom, but most porn stars agree barebacking cannot become the new normal.

“I’m personally against barebacking,” said gay porn star Brandon Jones. “I don’t want to see it on the screen. As a porn star doing this as a profession, we are an example to a lot of people, and their sexuality into their everyday life.”

Fellow porn star Jessie Colter made similar comments in a recent interview. The question exists, does barebacking in porn influence the gay community’s sex habits or is the gay community’s lack of interest in condoms influencing porn? Brandon sees porn as the main influence.

“If people only see safe sex, that would be very smart. As a gay man, it’s a smart thing to do. As a gay man in my career, I will only shoot safe sex. It’s very important for my health, my friends, and the people I love,” Brandon said. “If I can set a good example, then I would have done my job and followed my true beliefs from the time I started to the time I end.”

Brandon says porn stars that do bareback for scenes should consider how that could influence their life outside of work.

“When you have a hook-up, if those guys you hook up with see that you’ve done bareback sex, they will expect you to have bareback sex with them,” Brandon said. “I’m a Grindr guy. I love to hook up. But bareback is not the lifestyle I want to have.”

Barebacking has become so expected from many porn companies that some prospective stars may view unprotected sex as their only way into the industry.

“I don’t judge if you shoot bareback. I think that people need to get into the industry,” Brandon said. “But thousands of people will watch you do it. They will see you as an example. Do you want to give good advice or say ‘I have unprotected sex and you should do it too?’”

Unprotected sex between two committed, monogamous partners is ordinary and puts gay men at much less risk than barebacking with multiple partners, scene or not.

“I just got out of a long-term relationship with my ex-boyfriend, Adrian Long, who was a porn star. We had bareback sex together,” Brandon said. “I’ve been single for a year now and haven’t had bareback sex. It became part of my routine and sexuality. Being protected and healthy is much more important to me.”

From Brandon’s perspective, the decision to have only protected sex is simple.

“Everyone has had an STD before – it sucks. It’s part of our community, and it’s normal,” he said. “I choose not to live that life anymore.”