Gay Men Cant Give Blood Unless....

[kylesmum]

they have been monogomous for 12ths.

I have never heard of this before but it's true.Pretty appalling and discriminatory given they are appealing for Donors at the moment.

So by my reckoning, if a gay man has been in a stable loving relationship for several years his blood would be refused..

However a straight man ,who is promiscuous,would be welcomed.

This can't be allowed surely? Your views would be welcome.

http://blood.co.uk/can-i-give-blood/who-cant-give-blood/

[woofgang]

DTC ?????

[ludwig]

// Someone underweight can ill- afford the donation of a unit of blood. //

Especially a pint. It's very nearly an armful.

[Quizmonkey]

Argue as much as you like, it is arrant homophobia: no other countries in the West have a problem with welcoming gay men to give blood. All blood is tested anyway. And the whole AIDS argument one is a dangerously dated one. Anyone can be promiscuous; anyone can be exposed to disease, promiscuous or not. This is the source of much hatred and anger in the gay community: literally institutionalised queerbashing.

[woofgang]

indeed it is QM but as I understand it, the HIV virus can remain latent for some time and therefore might not be picked up when the blood is tested. If the statistics used are correct, and if the risk assessment is done properly then the decision IMO is correct....

[woofgang]

lol ludwig, I am a fan too.

[slaney]

QM - no other countries in the West have a problem - not so. Most European countries, unlike the UK , have indefinite referral. The UK has 1 year deferral. Only three, Poland Spain and Italy have no ban.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_male_blood_donor_controversy
As LazyGun explained earlier deferral exists because of the higher incidence of HIV in that population and because of the window period, where one is infected, but it doesn't show up in the blood test thereby giving a false negative - it's all to do with medical risk, and nothing to do with morality or homophobia.
Doubtless when the incidence of HIV declines the restrictions will be lifted.

[Peter Pedant]

No it has been like this for some time.
It used to be never.


I put up with TWO Hiv tests when I presented immunosuppressed as a result of cancer. Actually the blood picture was not compatible with HIV but that didnt stop them doing one - and then when it was negative doing another.
which erm was also negative.

It is a fearful disease and fills those treating us with fear as well.

[kylesmum]

Thanks all for taking time to reply.
I understand the issues with regard to the requirement to have infection free blood, I may have posted this in the wrong topic on reflection. Perhaps Society and Culture may have been more apt.

I think my intitial point, apologies for the schoolgirl error, I did of course mean celibate, was swamped with reasons why people can't give blood.

I was bemused as well as amused with the random post by DTCrosswordfan !!

The point I was attempting to raise awareness to/discuss was why gay men were fundamentally being singled out, heterosexual people can contract HIV as well.Also everyone is capable of lying regarding their health so seems a pity that gay men specifically are being segregated, even although they may have been in a long term monogamous relationship, that's not fair in my opinion.

Thanks again though, i'll leave it out there for anyone to ponder !!

[whiskeryron]

Why is it that some of us humans cannot accept quite reasonable truths ?
Is it a fact that normal sexual relations between a man & a woman involve copulation in an area designed specifically for that purpose ( the female Vagina) ?
Homosexuality on the other hand involves penetration of the Anus an area that is designed to pass out bodily waste ( an area teeming with bacteria of all sorts).
Let us therefore not shilly shally but say it as it is, those that indulge in these practices leave themselves wide open to attract bodily diseases & should therefore not be allowed to transmit possible disease in their blood.

WR.

[Zeuhl]

/normal sexual relations between a man & a woman involve copulation in an area designed specifically for that purpose ( the female Vagina)/


Not exclusively WR

[Brenden]

Wiskeryron did say "normal" sex Zeuhl, I think sodomy is still illegal in parts of the USA.

[kylesmum]

Oral sex between gay men is also mentioned in my link WR.

A fair few 'heterosexuals' couples indulge in anal sex, it's not unique to gay men.

[kylesmum]

Just for the record we are discussing the UK Blood Transfusion Service.

[sandyRoe]

Gay men aren't accepted as donors in N Ireland. Yet when blood supplies run low they're brought in from England and Scotland where gay men can be donors.
This was introduced by Edwin Poots, the NI Health Minister, and member of the DUP.
Now, there's bigotry.