On the matter of Blood

[Mike]

In today's paper I read an article that really threw me for a loop. In Canada, as well as the United States, men are asked when donating blood to state if they have had sex with another man. The rationale behind the law is that having sex with another man increases the risk of HIV/AIDS.

As a man who's had sex with another man I found that to be incredibly narrow minded, and a little offensive.

Am I barred from giving blood because I have AIDS? No.
Am I barred from giving blood because the person I had sex with has AIDS? No.
I'm barred from giving blood, and potentially saving lives because I had sex with another man.

AIDS isn't a "gay" disease. Anyone can get AIDS. Man or woman. These are things I learned in phys-ed class years ago, but apparently the same government that approves my education hasn't taken the class.

The subject of the article was a man who's been sued for lying about his sex life to give blood and help those in need. He's challenging the policy, and we'll get a supreme court ruling this summer. I'm behind him.

 

[Keanu]

welcome to the united states you sound surprised. I mean they have dont ask dont tell

 

[Ols]

Anyone should be able to give blood as long as they don't have any illness, irrelevant of their sexual preference. Yeah, in the wester world, percentage-wise HIV is more common in homosexual males than in any other comparable demographic (homosexual females, heterosexual males, heterosexual females etc), but to base something like this just on somebody's sexual preference is ridiculous. Actually it's more than that, because this question doesn't just discount gay men, but any man who's had sex with another man (yeah, shocker some people are confused, some are bisexual). And it just seems stupid, discounting plenty of perfectly good blood donors on such a silly assumption.

 

[Green Ranger]

We have that here too. It's insanity.

 

[Tunnel Rat]

welcome to the united states you sound surprised. I mean they have dont ask dont tell

Nope. Obama threw that law out as of Jan 1st, 2010. I know this, because several of my buddies from bootcamp have openly admited their gay and had no repocussions.

 

[Keanu]

Nope. Obama threw that law out as of Jan 1st, 2010. I know this, because several of my buddies from bootcamp have openly admited their gay and had no repocussions.

I know but still land that used to have Dont ask dont tell.

 

[Mike]

Yeah, this is why I usually get a fuzzy warm feeling for being Canadian, but it turns out that in the case of blood donations we're just as absurd.

Actually it's more than that, because this question doesn't just discount gay men, but any man who's had sex with another man (yeah, shocker some people are confused, some are bisexual).

Reporting in for Team Bisexual =3

 

[Keanu]

I would have to look into it if they ask for such data here when donating blood. out of my head I want to say no but I am not really sure to be honest

 

[Mike]

If you would re-read the second sentence of the thread you wouldn't have to do such research ;)

 

[Snuffalupagus]

I'm curious as to how they found out that he was lying about his sex life.

 

[Mike]

He's an openly gay man in his private life, and has a partner of eight years. He's been giving blood all his life. The government just never bothered to check if he ticked the right box in the form until recently I assume.

 

[Crosby]

No offense, but i just realized Canadian + homosexual/bisexual (men) = furry. :CHappy:

 

[Mike]

None taken =3 It's bisexual though if you care.

 

[Project]

Reporting in for Team Bisexual =3

Sorry but Team Bisexual kicked you out months ago, since you lack certain requirements.

 

[Cailst]

Perhaps they feel the risk to too great for what blood they will get?

 

[Green Ranger]

Perhaps they feel the risk to too great for what blood they will get?

If that's the case they should stop taking blood from everyone with an active sex life.

 

[Brandon Rhea]

This was put into place when pretty much everyone who was known to have had AIDS got it after gay sex. It wasn't done to discriminate, but because, back in the day, gay + sex seemed to = AIDS. They just haven't gotten around to changing it, apparently.

 

[Sovereign]

You can just lie and say you're straight. They pretty much check the blood they get for HIV anyway.

 

[Brandon Rhea]

You can just lie and say you're straight. They pretty much check the blood they get for HIV anyway.

Yeah but if you walk in and you're all FABULOUS!!!!! then the whole "I'm totally straight" thing might not work out so well.

 

[Sir Dakar]

I can't give blood because I lived in Germany for 8 years. How stupid is that?