A new law in New York City, backed by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, forbids adult entertainment establishments from opening within 500 feet of schools, churches, residential areas, or each other. Not only would this break up the concentration of such establishments around the Times Square red light district, it would banish them to waterfronts, industrial areas, and remote parts of outer boroughs.

But some New Yorkers are not happy with the law, and plan to fight back. Residents of a Chinese neighborhood in Brooklyn have considered combating an encroaching sex zone by opening more churches, making the creation of new adult entertainment establishments geographically impossible. Members of the gay activist group Empire State Pride Agenda have also criticized the new rules, saying they threaten to shut down businesses that provide condoms and AIDS information in addition to pornography.

Oddly enough, some of the porn proprietors are only too happy with the law. Times Square porn king Richard Basciano owns a lot of real estate in the area and will reportedly benefit from the expected influx of investment. And with a lower concentration of porn shops, he will face less competition. Still, others will be forced to adapt. The owner of Manhattan Video on West 39th Street is contemplating shifting his stock toward female wrestling movies and fetish films that feature activities such as spanking and foot licking. Such films would not meet the threshold to be classified as pornography.

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