According to Johns Hopkins University, on 27 March, Donald Trump’s administration signed into law a $2 trillion relief package, dubbed the CARES Act.  The package is aimed at assuaging the economic and fiscal problems triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bill comes as a measures adopted by Congress to provide unemployment insurance and food assistance for millions of US workers.

However, the president vividly exempted 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”.

Meanwhile, most adult performers have expressed outrage over the exemption of porn industry workers, calling the decision “dehumanizing”.

Below are a few reactions:

“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. 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”. – Alana Evans, President of the Adult Performers Actors Guild

“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”. – Jacqueline Frances, a stripper