On a night shadowed by a major legal blow from the Supreme Court, the adult industry did what it does best: it rallied, celebrated its champions, and looked to the future. The man of the hour was Jeffrey Douglas, the Free Speech Coalition’s (FSC) board chair, honored for 30 years of tireless advocacy at a rooftop party in Hollywood—a fitting tribute to a man widely known as an “eternal optimist.”
The timing was almost poetic. Just hours before the celebration, the Supreme Court had declined to block Texas’s controversial age verification law, HB 1181. The decision sent shockwaves through the industry, creating a daunting new landscape for sexual expression online.
A Heavy Cloud with a Silver Lining
FSC Director Alison Boden didn’t shy away from the elephant in the room. Addressing the crowd at the Kimpton Everly Hotel, she acknowledged the gravity of the day’s news.
“You may have heard that the Supreme Court handed down a significant defeat to us this morning in the case of Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton,” she announced. “It’s going to change the landscape of sexual expression in this country for decades.”
But even in defeat, Boden found a reason to be grateful for Douglas. “While the outcome was extraordinarily bad, I was more grateful than ever for Jeffrey’s compassionate, determined leadership and his ability to take the long view,” she shared. It’s a view Douglas has cultivated over three decades of fighting—and winning—some of the industry’s most critical battles.
A Legacy of Landmark Victories
For those who don’t know the name, you certainly know his work. Jeffrey Douglas has been the legal backbone of the adult industry for a generation. He was a key player in the landmark Supreme Court case Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition, which protected both adult and mainstream media from overly broad child pornography laws. He helped defeat punitive porn taxes, stood firm against mandatory condom laws like California’s Proposition 60, and spent over a decade fighting intrusive 2257 record-keeping regulations.
As Boden put it, Douglas’s mission has always been to stand up for the underdog. “As a defense attorney, he can improve the lives of a limited number of people,” she recalled him saying. “However, through FSC, he can improve the lives of thousands. And he has.”
“He Showed Us What Needed to Be Done”
The evening was filled with stories from those who fought alongside him. Ron Braverman of Doc Johnson, one of FSC’s founders, recalled the early days when the organization was just a small group trying to fund a legal defense for creators and producers getting arrested.
“Jeffrey Douglas came along and really showed us what needed to be done,” Braverman said. “He is dedicated to the cause, to the industry and, most importantly, to the people within the industry… Jeffrey was just 100% dedicated, even at the expense of his own well-being.”
Former FSC Executive Director Diane Duke shared a classic “David and Goliath” tale of sneaking fact sheets under the hotel room doors of ICANN board members in Lisbon to fight the creation of the .xxx domain.
“Every time we faced these battles, I would talk to Jeffrey. He had so much enthusiasm and passion, and I just couldn’t let this man down,” Duke remembered. “He kept saying, ‘We can do it,’… and we managed to succeed many times.”
The Mentor, The Teacher, The “Uber Mensch”
Tributes poured in, painting a picture of a man whose influence extends far beyond the courtroom. Constance Penley, a professor at UC Santa Barbara and the first academic on the FSC board, joked about how Douglas could make a history of obscenity law captivating for college students. Ian O’Brien of PASS praised the calm leadership Douglas provided during industry-wide production holds.
“Jeffrey often calls himself a Pollyanna… I would argue that optimism is the only reason things have ever improved,” O’Brien stated.
Valentine McLemore, FSC’s Deputy Executive Director, announced the creation of the Jeffrey J. Douglas First Amendment Scholarship fund to inspire a new generation of lawyers. “You’re a very special person,” McLemore told him.
XBIZ founder Alec Helmy summed it up simply before presenting Douglas with a framed magazine cover story. “‘Stalwart defender’ — that would be one way to describe Jeffrey Douglas. But if you were to ask me, I would just say he’s a good man.”
“A Moment I Will Literally Remember Forever”
Taking the stage to a standing ovation, an emotional Douglas was visibly moved. “You’ve given me an evening and a moment of time that I will literally remember forever,” he said. “You have given me one of the greatest moments of my life.”
He credited the entire FSC community for their collective achievements, highlighting the dedication of the staff and board members who made sacrifices for the cause. Addressing his famous optimism, he explained it wasn’t a choice, but a core part of his being.
“The experiences I’ve had over the past 30 years, working with you and for you… have been a true gift to me,” Douglas concluded. “I never expected anything like this to happen to me. I am deeply grateful.”
As the night ended, the feeling was unanimous. Industry pioneer Nina Hartley, in a comment to XBIZ, perhaps captured it best:
“He is the epitome of grace, passion, compassion, intelligence, humor and determination in the face of fierce obstacles… In Yiddish, he is an ‘uber mensch,’ a most decent, honorable and upstanding person. Truly a gift to the world.”
* Photo from xbiz.com
