Baller Alert Exclusive, September 2013. This is part two of our exclusive Baller Alert interview with adult film performer Cameron Bay, who announced earlier this month that she had tested positive for HIV. She talks about the reaction from the industry, her health and her plans. Everything below is Cameron’s own account to Baller Alert and has not been independently confirmed.
On the finger pointing
Cameron said she believes some people connected to the situation are more focused on protecting themselves than on the facts. She called on the industry to come together, get educated and work as one group instead of tearing individuals apart. She also said she cannot say how she was infected and can only point to a time frame. Kink, the production company connected to the shoot she discussed, was not part of this interview.
On what happened between her last negative test and her positive result
Cameron said she did regular shoots during that period, including a boy girl scene and a girl girl boy scene, and one BDSM shoot for Kink that she described as an attempt to push her limits. She said she was in a zone and was not paying close attention to her boundaries, and that she blames herself for not speaking up in the moment. She said she had a limit sheet for that shoot and described a crowded set with cameras rolling where things can slip. Looking back, she said she would handle it differently, especially as someone still new to the business.
On her health
Cameron said she is taking two medications, one twice a day and one once a day, and was waiting on new blood work to see how her viral load has changed. She stressed that she is not deathly sick or dying and said she is fighting the disease.
On how the industry has treated her
She said she received an outpouring of support from almost everyone in the industry, including emails and texts from people sending love and calling her a fighter. She also addressed questions about how long she has been working in adult film, saying she had only done a small amount of work before this year and that her most recent stretch of steady work was about three months before she had to stop.
Asked whether anyone refused to work with her because of her partner’s work in other parts of the industry, Cameron said plenty of people knew about it and that crossover between different parts of the business has always been common. She said she and her boyfriend Rod were both tested, and that she took precautions seriously.
What is next
Cameron said she plans to become an advocate for HIV education and prevention in the industry. She said she has been using her savings for medication and blood work, has no insurance and will not qualify for coverage for two years, and that people have been supporting her and offering help finding work outside of shooting, possibly at clinics. In her words, she wants everyone to know she is “not a victim” but a survivor.
Made to order and shipped to your door.
A message to her fans
Cameron thanked her supporters for the well wishes and prayers, calling them her driving force and her guardian angels.
Where things stand
Cameron has been consistent that no one can say for certain how she contracted HIV, and nothing in this interview confirms it. Questions remain about the circumstances, and Baller Alert hopes the companies involved will speak publicly. For now, this interview reflects her account only.
To learn more about HIV, visit the CDC website. If you want to get tested, find a health center in your area. You can also call the CDC-INFO hotline in English and Spanish at 1 800 CDC INFO (232 4636), TTY 1 888 232 6348.
Wrap it up, get tested and know your status. Interview by MizCaramelVixen for Baller Alert.
