Free Speech Coalition Calls For Unity In Rejecting the Rentboy Case, Encourages Donations to Defense Fund

As you know, the big topic in the gay porn universe this past week has been the federal raid on Rentboy.com in New York, and the arrest of six of its employees as well as CEO and founder Jeffrey Hurant. Now, porn industry advocacy group the Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has issued a statement calling the raid “not only a violation of the free speech rights [of Hurant], but also for those men who advertised on the site.”

Hurant is most likely to be the primary person targeted for prosecution — although the other six remain in danger of serving prison sentences themselves unless prosecutors strike deals with them to drop charges in exchange for information.

Thus the FSC is focusing their attention on trying to help Hurant with his own defense, which could be costly and for which he now has no financial means to support it, with all of his assets having been frozen by the government.

Per the FSC’s statement:

Unfortunately, we in the adult industry have plenty of experience with these raids. From our inception as a legal business in the late 60s, adult filmmakers and workers have been surveilled, censored, raided and harassed by law enforcement units from vice squads to the FBI. In the past few years, adult performers, producers and service providers have protested as their bank accounts were shut down, their health records subpoenaed and their right-to-work violated by misguided moralists. No matter what the tactic, the goal is the same – push us into the shadows and silence our voices.

Our industry is diverse; many of us have different needs and concerns. Time after time, this has been used to divide us; performers against providers, producers against performers, straight against gay. However, it is clear that if we do not unify in the face of these assaults, the industry we have all worked so hard to build will crumble. Instead, our differences should be our strength — our unity in the face of censorship, our secret to survival. At times like these, it is more important than ever that we amplify each others voices and come to each others defenses, even when it means a risks to ourselves.

Jeffrey Hurant was not a member of the Free Speech Coalition. However, we stand in solidarity with anyone who find themselves targets of government censorship. With his assets seized, Jeffrey is incapable of mounting even a basic a legal defense.

They’re hoping others in the adult industry, be they gay or straight, will see that “Every time the government successfully silences one of us, it is easier for them to silence the next,” and will therefore come to Hurant’s aid.

You can donate to Hurant’s defense fund here, via RentBoyFund.org, where donations will go to help pay the legal fees of the Walters Law Group and other lawyers in San Francisco and New York who have agreed to help defend Hurant. They will also go to help with basic living expenses for Hurant.

Previously: EVERYONE SHOULD BE OUTRAGED ABOUT THE RENTBOY RAID, AND HERE’S WHY

4 thoughts on “Free Speech Coalition Calls For Unity In Rejecting the Rentboy Case, Encourages Donations to Defense Fund”

  1. What about the legal needs of the female workers? The Walters Law Group didnt offer any help when escort.com went down in 2011 or when my redbook went down in 2014. For the past few decades, the men have been able to work with impunity while the women have suffered being stalked, arrested and raped. . Why are we not all supporting the ESPLERP case which will set legal precedent, which will gain “equal protection under the law” to all sex workers.

    More on the ESPLERP case at http://decriminalizesexwork.com/

  2. I don’t really feel sorry. The first time I saw the site I was like, “Isn’t this prostitution via online?” The way the site is set even promotes it so for them to even try denying it, is crazy. Like the whole site had the categories for w/e you’re looking for then it further shows the prices and ranges. I’m more surprised that it lasted this long. The funny thing is that most of the people on the site would try to hide behind the typical massage mask, when everyone knew what the massage really meant.

  3. LGBT people should save their money, energy and outrage for far more serious issues of justice that effect our people. While the motivations for the raid may be suspect and the whole thing a waste of taxpayers money, the fact that the government has shut down a gay illegal internet prostitution hook up site, is no LGBT Civil Rights cause. Instead be outraged by the reality that in 18 States in the USA, LGBT people, engaged in or seeking employment in legal jobs, can be discriminated against in hiring and firing. We need to use our political capital to push Congress to enact a comprehensive ENDA Law. We don’t need to be seen as people championing the rights of internet prostitution sites to remain in business.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The maximum upload file size: 50 MB. You can upload: image. Links to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other services inserted in the comment text will be automatically embedded. Drop file here

Scroll to Top