BOGOTA, Colombia — Colombian adult performer Esperanza Gómez has filed an appeal with Colombia’s Constitutional Court against the local subsidiaries of Instagram and Facebook, over the repeated deactivation of her accounts.

Colombian weekly Semana reported today that the Constitutional Court has agreed to review Gómez’s case to evaluate her claim that her constitutional “right to work” has been violated by the social media giants and their often arbitrary moderation policies.

Gómez has repeatedly complained about Instagram suspensions over her content, and while her account has reportedly been reinstated following gaps of several months, she said she still chose to obtain a preemptive court order to protect her labor rights in the future.

Her filing alleges that the deactivation of her accounts has affected her right to work because without social media she is unable to promote either her own work or the products of third-party sponsors, both crucial to her livelihood.

In 2018, the prominent Latin American adult performer reported that she lost at least three different Instagram accounts. Her current account — which she recovered after a dispute — has over 400,000 followers.

Her complaint against Instagram Colombia and Facebook Colombia S.A. is being reviewed by Constitutional Court Judge Natalia Ángel, after two lower courts rejected Gómez’s action. The Constitutional Court will consider the appeal on “right to work” grounds.

The case could set a precedent in a country that boasts a large number of cam performers and where sex worker rights are generally unregulated.

Find Esperanza Gomez on Twitter.

LOS ANGELES — A photograph of model Tommie Gunn taken by Bella Vendetta is featured on the cover of alternative fashion and photography magazine Eerie Eclipse.

“Bella is known for wearing many hats in the adult industry: performer, producer, filmmaker and photographer,” a rep said. “In 2020, when the pandemic hit, she won a grant from a prestigious museum and began deepening her photography studies. Since then, Bella has had her photography published online, in print, hung in gallery shows and gracing the pages of multiple models’ OnlyFans pages.”

The polymath has also self-published two books of photography and three calendars.

Besides the cover, Vendetta’s photography is featured on the inside cover and table of contents.

“I was so thrilled we got the cover,” Vendetta said. “It was an artistic concept I was just trying with the drastic light and shadows, and having Tommie look like a renaissance painting. I am so happy the response has been so great. It feels good to have success in the art community the same week I have success in the porn industry.”

The July issue of Eerie Eclipse also includes a multi-page photo spread featuring Vendetta as a model, photographed by Carin Teresa Photography.

Digital and print copies of the magazine can be purchased here.

Follow Bella Vendetta on Twitter and find her premium social media linkage here.

In related news, Vendetta’s short film “Coven of Compassion” has been named an official selection of the Failed Film Festival in Los Angeles and will screen on Monday, Sept. 5.

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah State Board of Education has approved official guidelines for how to ban books and other material from school libraries, amidst a moral panic stoked by religiously inspired activists seeking to cleanse education of “pornography.”

The policy, local radio station KSL News explained, was created in response to new state law H.B. 374, which “gives direction to school districts and charter schools for reviewing potentially sensitive materials,” after the Utah attorney general’s office “gave not one, but two memos to USBE on how that law should be interpreted.”

Making things even more unclear for library staff, Utah school districts can choose whether or not to adopt the guidelines and implement book censorship reviews.

A key point repeatedly raised by conservative school board members was that they wanted to “keep books off shelves while they’re under review,” KSL News noted.

Under the guidelines adopted yesterday, concerned individuals can fill out a form challenging books they deem “questionable.” The concerned individual, however, “has to be a parent of a student that attends the school, a student who attends the school or an employee of the school.”

Each challenge will result in the formation of a “review committee” to evaluate whether “on the whole” the work “has serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value for minors.”

To appeal a book banned by these committees, the appellant must prove that “a district or charter school did not follow their outlined library policy and/or Utah law during the review process.”

Although USBE approved pulling books from shelves while they are under review, it did provide that such books “can still be accessed with parental permission,” prompting religious conservative activist and board member Natalie Cline to demand that challenged books be “pulled until the review process was complete.”

Cline claimed that “the way it is written, we are actually giving kids access to pornography in a restricted fashion, either by parental permission or by a digital access code. It violates H.B. 374. Our schools aren’t allowed to give students access to alcohol or drugs even with parental permission.”

For more on Utah’s new guidelines for banning books, visit the Utah State Board of Education.

LOS ANGELES — A psychiatric expert for the defense has issued a report asserting that Ron Jeremy is not competent to stand trial in Los Angeles for multiple sexual assaults and rapes.

According to sources familiar with the case, the expert issued the report yesterday, and it was presented in court today.

The case has now been postponed until Oct. 3.

The expert was hired by Jeremy’s attorney, Stuart Goldfarb. The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office has also hired its own psych expert, who will produce another report assessing Jeremy’s competency.

The criminal case has been at a standstill since presiding Judge George Lomeli’s March 17 decision to suspend proceedings after he received reports from Goldfarb and the bailiff that the defendant was “incoherent” and could not be transported to court.

As XBIZ reported, Judge Lomeli then referred the case to a mental health courthouse for a decision on Jeremy’s ability to stand trial. The judge recommended that psychiatrists on each side conduct evaluations to determine competency.

Jeremy is currently awaiting trial in Los Angeles, where he has remained in jail following his arrest in June 2020.

After an Aug. 2021 grand jury indictment was returned, Jeremy pled not guilty to 12 counts of forcible rape, seven counts of forcible oral copulation, six counts of sexual battery by restraint, four counts of sexual penetration by a foreign object, two counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious or asleep person and one count each of lewd act upon a child under the age of 14 or 15, sodomy by use of force and assault with intent to commit rape.

Last year, XBIZ published an exclusive detailed account of the 21 accusations that form the Los Angeles County district attorney’s case against Jeremy. It remains the only comprehensive journalistic account of the testimonies given before the grand jury in Aug. 2021.

DUBLIN — Ireland’s Justice Minister Helen McEntee today declared that she believes pornography has become “too easily accessible” and “more violent and degrading.” She made the remarks in response to a survey publicized by the local mainstream press, claiming that “one in five men in Ireland aged under 55 watch porn daily.”

In a statement to the Irish Examiner, McEntee — a member of the right-leaning Christian Democrat Fine Gael party, a governing partner in a coalition led by Ireland’s Labour Party — reacted to the survey conducted by local nonprofit Men’s Development Network.

“Pornography is too easily accessible, it has become more violent and degrading,” McEntee stated. “It has changed the way younger people view sexual relationships. Men and boys can become agents of change by challenging discrimination, sexism and violence, and I welcome the tireless work that Men’s Development Network does in this area.

“I am glad that my department has been of assistance this year by providing funding for its awareness-raising campaigns. I’m confident that, through continued education, we can support men and boys, and women and girls, to fulfill their aspirations, unconstrained by narrow stereotypes. We must continue to work together.”

The MDN survey reports that more than 70% of men under 45 who responded to the survey reported “using porn” at least once a week, while over 40% of respondents aged 44 and under said that “pornography has influenced their expectations of sex in real life.”

While MDN’s website describes the survey as “Open to all men throughout the island of Ireland aged 18 upwards” and “seeking a representative demographic sample,” it is unclear based on mainstream news reporting whether MDN surveyed only straight-identifying cisgender men, or included queer and trans men. Most of the quotes used in press coverage conflate “men” with “cis straight men” and imply that “pornography” is only “used” by them.

MDN CEO Sean Cooke expressed hope that more people would “complete our Male Attitudinal Survey, to support us so we can continue to inform policy in ways that bring about meaningful societal change for us all.”

Ireland is currently undergoing a debate over sex education in schools. Whether porn awareness will be part of the curriculum, and how, has been a contested issue.

LAS VEGAS — Performer and StepHouseXXX co-founder Valentina Bellucci discusses body positivity and sex work in a new Men’s Health Magazine feature.

In the article by Ryn Pfeuffer, titled “Men Are Hiring Sex Workers to Beat Small Penis Anxiety,” Bellucci outlines the confidence-building that sex work provides in terms of non-judgmental reinforcement with body insecurities.

“When people talk about body positivity, they usually think of women, but men carry a lot of self-doubts as well,” said Bellucci. “I am so pleased to be able to offer a bit of insight into my job, and the services sex workers provide that can inspire healthy sexuality, particularly for such an inspired article in a well-respected such as Men’s Health.”

To read the article in full, visit MensHealth.com.

Follow Valentina Bellucci on Twitter and access her premium social media links here.

SAN DIEGO — Lila Lovely stars in a new Brazzers threeway with Dani Valentina and Jovan Jordan.

In the new scene, Jovan plays a cheater and his wife (Valentina) is aware of his wandering ways. But after 78 days of an unprecedented no-cheating streak, Jovan finds himself tempted when their neighbor (Lovely) stops by to borrow an appliance.

“Jovan is happy to learn that Lila lusts after his cock, and he can’t resist breaking his loyalty streak,” a rep said. “Dani figures if she can’t beat them, she might as well join them.”

Lovely said the scenario’s comedic elements make it “enjoyable and lighthearted.”

“I enjoyed working with Dani and Jovan for Brazzers,” she added. “I hope fans can feel our chemistry.”

Find the new scene here and follow Brazzers on Twitter.

Follow Lila Lovely on Twitter and access her premium social media linkage here.