Justin Jeffre: Government and Sex

What is your position on SB16 (the new state law that, among other things, criminalizes exotic dancers and patrons coming within 6 ft of each other)? To what extent should local and state governments oversee and regulate the sex lives of adult citizens?
--Cody Reeder, Walnut Hills

Government should have no business interfering in the sex lives of adults, especially in the City of Cincinnati. As you know, we are world famous for our incoherent fear of adult entertainment -- with a major Hollywood movie even memorializing how Larry Flynt went to battle against none other than Si Leis.

But here is the thing: Cincinnati ranks pretty high on the list of cities with high incidences of sexually transmitted diseases. At the same time, the local Yellow Pages has three pages dedicated to adult entertainment advertising quick delivery of private strip shows to your home.

So in Cincinnati, we have no adult entertainment in public, but a thriving underground sex business. Is it too much a leap to connect this with our high incidences of sexually transmitted diseases?

Could it be that the family friendly movement of fringe groups like the CCV is really just a cover (even if unintentionally) for the sordid sexuality that has been forced underground? Meanwhile, cities like Atlanta -- in the heart of the Bible belt -- have thriving adult businesses, lower rates of STDs, and huge revenue generation for their city.

Now I'm not trying to run on a platform of promoting pornography -- but are we adult enough to even consider the issue without hang-ups? I hope so, but I fear that several politicians -- or their anonymous campaign staff members -- will troll any blog that raises the issue, changing the subject and issuing personal attacks.

I wonder how the people of Cincinnati would vote were the concept of a regulated adult entertainment district presented as something on which citizens could have their voices heard.

I always promote having discussions about the direction of our City, and empowering voters with the ability to make decisions that affect our future.