LOS ANGELES — On the very same evening when the adult industry was hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling supporting Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181, members of the Free Speech Coalition board, staff and supporters gathered to celebrate Jeffrey Douglas’ 30 years as board chair — a fitting reflection of his reputation as an eternal optimist.
Following an hour of mingling on the rooftop of the Kimpton Everly Hotel in Hollywood, FSC Director Alison Boden welcomed attendees, thanking sponsors Cathy Beardsley of Segpay, Ron Braverman of Doc Johnson and Ryan Hogan of Aylo.
As the elephant in the room, the Supreme Court’s decision unavoidably cast a shadow over the evening, which Boden quickly addressed.
“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 told the crowd. “It’s going to change the landscape of sexual expression in this country for decades.”
Boden described how she has leaned on Douglas’ wise counsel throughout the hard-fought battle.
“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.
The case was hardly Douglas’ first rodeo, of course. Across his decades of leadership, Douglas has been instrumental in guiding the FSC through some of the adult industry’s most significant legal and political battles. He played a pivotal role in securing a victory in Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition, overturning overly broad child pornography laws that threatened both adult and mainstream media. Douglas also helped defeat punitive porn tax proposals in California and contributed to organizing the landmark 1998 World Pornography Conference, bridging the gap between academia and the industry. His tireless advocacy was crucial in resisting mandatory condom laws, including the defeat of Proposition 60 in 2016, and he dedicated over a decade to challenging intrusive federal 2257 record-keeping laws, securing vital legal protections for the industry.
Recognizing these accomplishments, Boden told the assembled guests: “As much as we’re here to celebrate Jeffrey’s work with FSC, we’re also honoring how he has lived his life and defended his clients with integrity, compassion and unwavering determination to stand up for the underdog against seemingly impossible odds.”
She went on to credit Douglas for standing up for the innocent and the guilty, and for channeling the storied attorney Clarence Darrow’s dedication to the idea that every person deserves dignity and defense. While also honoring Douglas as a family man, Boden reflected on his impact as a mentor and friend.
“A few years ago, I asked him why he joined the FSC board,” she said. “What he told me was that, as a defense attorney, he can improve the lives of a limited number of people — his clients. However, through FSC, he can improve the lives of thousands. And he has. He’s improved mine and all of yours. This includes the lives of the entire industry, whether they realize it or not.”
Braverman, one of the founders of the Free Speech Coalition as well as of premier pleasure products brand Doc Johnson, was then introduced onstage.
He explained how FSC began as a group of seven who started the industry’s free speech legal defense movement to ensure that the First Amendment remained intact throughout the United States, and to encourage adult industry stakeholders to make their voices heard through voting and advocacy.
Getting the industry’s support for their legal defense fund was no easy task, Braverman recalled. Still, as more people were arrested for their involvement in the adult industry, the group only became more determined to fight back. It financed its efforts independently, securing attorneys at lower fees along the way.
“We got it started,” Braverman said. “A few years later, we formed the Free Speech Coalition and brought on a broader group of board members, hoping to encompass more of the industry. However, we were all just people running businesses within the adult industry.
“Jeffrey Douglas came along and really showed us what needed to be done,” he added. “It’s through his hard work and perseverance that it’s continued.”
Above all, Braverman declared, Douglas’ unwavering commitment deserves to be honored.
“He is dedicated to the cause, to the industry and, most importantly, to the people within the industry — or anyone who needs his help,” Braverman affirmed. “He has been there to give it, never needing a second call. He wouldn’t ignore your call, wouldn’t avoid returning it, and he didn’t ask for a retainer or require money upfront. Jeffrey was just 100% dedicated, even at the expense of his own well-being. Nobody deserves this more than he does.”
Next, former FSC Executive Director Diane Duke took the stage, sharing a memory of her own first adventure with Douglas.
“We attended the ICANN meeting in Lisbon — it was about .xxx, remember that?” Duke said, drawing yells and boos from the crowd. “I had prepared a whole fact sheet explaining why we didn’t want this, but nobody would talk to us. So I bribed the concierge, and Jeffrey and I would slip these fact sheets under the hotel room doors, targeting the ICANN board members.”
Duke recalled that they agreed to leave the board members alone if they’d agree to hear them out.
“We were actually successful in that situation,” she said. “But it was very much like David and Goliath. We had about three people there. 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. He kept saying, ‘We can do it, you can do this, we can do this.’ He believed in us, and we managed to succeed many times.”
She ended her speech by thanking Douglas for giving her courage in trying times, and for being a fierce defender of free speech.
Up next to pay tribute to Douglas was Constance Penley, professor emeritus of the Department of Film and Media Studies at UC Santa Barbara, and the first academic ever elected to the FSC board of directors.
“I’ve been teaching a class on pornography at UC Santa Barbara since 1993, so do the math,” Penley joked about her long-running friendship with Douglas, which she said was sparked at the 1998 World Pornography Conference at Cal State Northridge.
“Can you believe it? There is now an international journal of porn studies,” she pointed out. “There are also many more people teaching about porn.”
Penley often invites members of the adult industry to her classes, giving her students the chance to interview them. She credits Douglas with paving the way, explaining how he has influenced her students’ views of the industry.
“The students come away from this class, and one of the things that they always say at the end is, ‘Professor, what are we to make of the fact that the smartest, nicest, most generous, moving people we’re ever likely to meet in our life are the guests in your porn class?’” Penley shared. “I knew that the students would not be disappointed in Jeffrey because I knew he could keep everyone engaged for an hour and 45 minutes, especially when presenting a history of obscenity law. Not only was this the clearest presentation — thorough, logical and full of anecdotes — but he would have people completely captivated with his clarity, articulateness, power and passion for his work.”
Ian O’Brien, the executive director of PASS and the former deputy executive director of the Free Speech Coalition, then took the stage. Explaining PASS’ role during the industrywide production hold that occurred a few weeks ago, O’Brien noted that Douglas has inspired him in managing the fallout when such events occur.
“During my first production hold, I felt like if I made a mistake, someone was going to die, OSHA was going to shut us all down or I was going to end up in jail,” he recalled. “While that’s a super-dramatic way to frame it, it’s not entirely untrue. I remember Jeffrey reaching out to me out of the blue, during that first month of work, to check on me, affirm that I was safe and ask what I needed personally. I believe it’s Jeffrey’s ability to provide leadership at the intersection of compassion and confidence. Jeffrey coached me through several leadership changes at FSC and taught me that running an organization is very different than just having opinions about how it should be run.”
In addition to compassion, patience and wisdom, O’Brien said, Douglas’ optimism is among his most admirable traits.
“Jeffrey often calls himself a Pollyanna, implying that his perspective on certain matters might be overly optimistic,” O’Brien said. “I would argue that optimism is the only reason things have ever improved.”
That optimism, O’Brien added, becomes infectious when Douglas talks passionately about people, moments and causes that are near and dear to his heart.
“Jeffrey is a storyteller,” O’Brien affirmed. “Shortly after Alison was hired, we brought all the FSC staff to brunch, and Jeffrey spent two hours recounting the entire history of FSC. His passion for sharing those stories highlights the importance of what we’re protecting. The way he speaks about his principles, the dignity of his clients, Alison’s leadership at FSC, his marriage at the Santa Barbara Library and teaching civil rights history to his son’s middle school class reveals a depth of feeling that makes it hard to feel entirely nihilistic.”
FSC Deputy Executive Director Valentine McLemore, who is also a sex worker, an advocate for decriminalization and an attorney, was next on stage. McLemore explained that they first became involved with FSC during law school, when they joined the First Amendment Lawyers Association and met Douglas through another mentor, the late FSC executive board member Reed Lee.
“I remember being captivated by the way that you talked about your work and your passion for the First Amendment,” McLemore told Douglas. “And the loving, caring, quiet and humble but strong way that you spoke about your clients, friends, family and the people you cared about and the things that were important to you. You’re a very special person.”
McLemore encouraged attendees to donate to the Jeffrey J. Douglas First Amendment Scholarship fund, which helps law students interested in the First Amendment cover the costs of their education.
“It’s really wonderful that we were able to create this because you are such an inspiration in the practice of law,” McLemore said. “To be able to pass that gift on to other students and future practitioners is a really special thing ... I think it’s wonderful that we get the chance to hopefully inspire future Jeffreys.”
As the evening began to wind down, XBIZ founder Alec Helmy presented Douglas with a framed copy of the cover story profiling him in the June 2025 issue of XBIZ World magazine, covering his three decades of leadership.
“‘Stalwart defender’ — that would be one way to describe Jeffrey Douglas,” Helmy said. “But if you were to ask me, I would just say he’s a good man. In fact, he’s so good that he is the reason I have stayed on the board of the Free Speech Coalition for 15 years.”
Helmy called it “a hell of a ride,” spanning battles over 2257 regulations, the .xxx shakedown, condom mandates and now age verification.
“It’s really remarkable how one person has managed to steer the FSC through all of these storms without capsizing,” Helmy marveled. “To top it off, not once has he ever lost his cool. It’s really incredible. But his remarkable leadership aside, he is kind-hearted, compassionate and a devoted family man. Dear Jeffrey, thank you for everything that you’ve done for the adult industry. It has been an honor to work alongside you and to consider you a friend. And above all, thank you for inspiring us all to be better leaders.”
Beardsley followed with a plaque in recognition of Douglas’ 30 years with FSC.
“The industry is proud and very grateful to have you,” she said. “So when days are long and you think we’ve forgotten about you, this plaque here will remind you how much we appreciate you. Your passion, dedication and leadership have been vital to defending our rights and ensuring the survival of our industry.”
She also gifted Douglas with a Free Speech Coalition necktie.
“When you’re fighting our battles, when you’re in danger, you’ll keep us close to your heart,” she said.
Douglas received a standing ovation as he posed with his gifts, gathering his thoughts and emotions.
“You’ve given me an evening and a moment of time that I will literally remember forever,” he gushed. “You have given me one of the greatest moments of my life. It’s something I will always draw on.”
Douglas went on to hail his fellow attorneys, who he has seen “taking on trial after trial, serving as the last hope for their clients, standing between them and either death or life in prison.”
Among those, he mentioned Louis Sirkin and Michael Murray, with whom he fought long, monumental battles on behalf of the FSC.
“Over these 30 years, the achievements we have made together are thanks to the dedication, hard work and sacrifice of everyone who has contributed to the Free Speech Coalition,” Douglas continued. “Over the years, the Free Speech Coalition board has been composed of remarkable individuals who are not only highly successful in their careers but also bring their leadership, skills and knowledge to support the dedicated staff who have made financial sacrifices.”
Despite FSC having limited resources, Douglas said, the group’s accomplishments have been “stunning and staggering.”
“People have talked about my kind of unwavering optimism,” Douglas concluded. “It’s not something I can control or aim for — it’s just who I am. The experiences I’ve had over the past 30 years, working with you and for you, as well as with the chosen family you’ve built within the industry, have been a true gift to me. I’ve been content with that, and it’s been more than enough. So I never expected anything like this to happen to me. I am deeply grateful.”
Among the evening’s attendees was longtime FSC board member and industry vet Mara Epstein, who reflected on first meeting Douglas at a rally in Westwood. She recalled that, decades ago when FSC first formed, it was still the “Wild West,” with raids being conducted on adult businesses.
“People don’t realize our lives were on the line,” she said. “They don’t realize freedom isn’t free. We did a lot of things to get us where we are.”
Epstein looked back on traveling to Sacramento on numerous occasions to lobby alongside Douglas.
“Jeffrey was instrumental in leading us to create rules and regulations that legitimized the industry, and he prepared us when we went to lobby,” she said.
Another industry vet and longtime FSC board member, Classic Brands Sales Manager Lynn Swanson, also attended the event to pay tribute to Douglas.
“This celebration was a wonderful opportunity for all of us to recognize and applaud the exceptional contribution that Jeffrey Douglas makes each day to our industry and to each of us,” she said.
Adult industry pioneer Nina Hartley told XBIZ that no words can describe how much she admires and appreciates Douglas.
“He is the epitome of grace, passion, compassion, intelligence, humor and determination in the face of fierce obstacles,” she said. “His contributions to the success and survival of the adult industry can’t be overstated. He sees the bigger picture and takes the long view on issues that take years to eventuate. Plus, he’s so smart and his brain is working on all cylinders, all the time.”
Hartley credited Douglas for rallying the troops in times of turmoil and internal dissent.
“He is a cat herder!” she joked.
“As a friend, he’s seen me through the darkest of my moments,” she added. “Never there to save me or dictate my actions or judge my emotions, simply there as a compassionate witness and fellow traveler. For a while, he was a lifeline, though he didn’t know it. He deserves all the accolades, all the honor and all the money. In Yiddish, he is an ‘uber mensch,’ a most decent, honorable and upstanding person. To top it all off, he’s also a loving and devoted husband and father. Truly a gift to the world.”
