116 replies to this topic

[mfrmboy]

Why in this day and age are gay and bisexual men prohibited from donating blood and sperm.

Heterosexuals are just as likely to contract and spread HIV or Hepatitis as anyone else.

With blood supplies being so low and rare blood types being in such high demand I find it absurd that gay and bisexual men are turned away.

The blood is tested before it is used so I don't understand why, makes no sense.

[RockabyeBillie]

Maybe they're afraid recipients will "catch the gay". e_e

[Colonel Rhuairidh]

It's so that they don't produce gay kids, of course. gay Sperm will obviously produce gay kids.






I wouldn't be surprised if that's what some people believe, at any rate.

[mfrmboy]

I know Gay sperm = Gay kid ....CRAZY

[Simbi Laveau]

mfrmboy, on 10 December 2012 - 03:51 PM, said:

Why in this day and age are gay and bisexual men prohibited from donating blood and sperm.

Heterosexuals are just as likely to contract and spread HIV or Hepatitis as anyone else.

With blood supplies being so low and rare blood types being in such high demand I find it absurd that gay and bisexual men are turned away.

The blood is tested before it is used so I don't understand why, makes no sense.

I think any one group of individuals ,deemed as high risk ,ergo ,they had high instances of HIV ,AIDS and Hepatitis ,are not allowed.
This includes former iv drug abusers ,and anyone who has had Hepatitis B I believe .
I think its because this statute was put into place when the blood supply was in jeopardy of being tainted ,because blood screening had not been as strict previously .
These groups were ,at the time,the major carriers of HIV and hepatitis B ,C and D .

This would have been the late 80s,thru say early 2000,thereabouts .

I think its an outdated statute ,that just hasn't come off the books. Blood testing is so comprehensive now ,its easy to weed out anyone not qualified ,but hepatitis survivors would probably still be exempt .

Edited by Simbi Laveau, 10 December 2012 - 04:37 PM.

[Cassea]

Simbi Laveau, on 10 December 2012 - 04:34 PM, said:

I think any one group of individuals ,deemed as high risk ,ergo ,they had high instances of HIV ,AIDS and Hepatitis ,are not allowed.
This includes former iv drug abusers ,and anyone who has had Hepatitis B I believe .
I think its because this statute was put into place when the blood supply was in jeopardy of being tainted ,because blood screening had no been as strict previously .
These groups were ,at the time,the major carriers of HIV and hepatitis B ,C and D .

I think its an outdated statute ,that just hasn't come off the books. Blood testing is so comprehensive now ,its easy to weed out anyone not qualified ,but hepatitis survivors would probably still be exempt .

This is true.  To say that gay men are less likely to catch HIV is a lie.  

Quote

Male-to-male sexual contact 28,782 - 28,782
Injection drug use   2,373 1,393 3,766
Male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use 1,443 - 1,443

Heterosexual contact^a   4,416 8,459 12,875 Other^b 31 16 47

http://www.cdc.gov/h...hivaidsexposure

That they don't ban lesbians shows it has nothing to do with the gay issue.

Edited by Cassea, 10 December 2012 - 04:39 PM.

[OverSword]

mfrmboy, on 10 December 2012 - 03:51 PM, said:

Why in this day and age are gay and bisexual men prohibited from donating blood and sperm.

Heterosexuals are just as likely to contract and spread HIV or Hepatitis as anyone else.

With blood supplies being so low and rare blood types being in such high demand I find it absurd that gay and bisexual men are turned away.

The blood is tested before it is used so I don't understand why, makes no sense.

I believe stats will bear out the innacuracy of you statement.  Heterosexuals are not as likely to contract HIV.  Look it up, gay men in the USA are 44 times more likely to contract HIV.

[Colonel Rhuairidh]

So it's easier to just assume that the Gays are likely to be HIV, then, is it, so it saves them a bit of work.
Prejudice at its finest, and by the literal meaning of the word- pre-judging.

[Simbi Laveau]

OverSword, on 10 December 2012 - 04:37 PM, said:

I believe stats will bear out the innacuracy of you statement.  Heterosexuals are not as likely to contract HIV.  Look it up, gay men in the USA are 44 times more likely to contract HIV.

I believe this is quite true .Mostly because their population were the major carriers of the disease initially . I would like to believe most gay men are very careful ,because of this,bit I know some who are not,which I find stunning in today's climate.

I have heterosexual friends who won't even date someone,until they have had a full battery of tests for everything.

[Cassea]

This is a foolish attempt to pretend a truth isn't a truth.  The priority here is the health of the person receiving the transfusion.  Not the feelings of the potential donor.   I would be afraid to receive a blood transfusion from a gay man.  If they had triple checked the blood it would be different.  But why spend the money just to prevent someone's feelings from being hurt?  I bet if you asked a gay man if he'd have no issue receiving a blood transfusion from another gay man.  He would be nervous as well.

[OverSword]

Simbi Laveau, on 10 December 2012 - 04:47 PM, said:

I believe this is quite true .Mostly because their population were the major carriers of the disease initially . I would like to believe most gay men are very careful ,because of this,bit I know some who are not,which I find stunning in today's climate.

I have heterosexual friends who won't even date someone,until they have had a full battery of tests for everything.

Whoa!  You got some crazy friends.  They don't need tests with me I'll tell them what I've got long before I sleep with them.  About the gay men, keeping in mind that I live in the gayest area of the 3rd gayest city in America, I'd say that older gay guys become more cautious but on the surface at least it seems the young ones are as slutty as ever.  I don't acutally know for for sure but I hear anecdotes as my nieghbors gossip at our building barbecues and wine tastings..

Edited by OverSword, 10 December 2012 - 04:57 PM.

[Sean93]

Social Stigma = 'All gay men have aids'.

[Kyle98632]

As a gay man I do understand why we are not allowed to give blood. Fact is, the gay men population has far higher rates of different diseases, and I think it is just downright safer to weed out groups of people who are far more likely to have issues.

[mfrmboy]

It is a persons behavior not sexual orientation that puts them at risk for a STD.
A straight person who has multiple sex parteners can donate blood, they are not asked about their sexual parteners or about their parteners sexual behaviors.

I am in a monogamous relationship and have been for years, HIV negative, I do not use drugs or engage in any type of risky behavior and yet I am not allowed to donate purely based on my sexual orientation.

It is discrimination.

[bacca]

Cassea, on 10 December 2012 - 04:53 PM, said:

This is a foolish attempt to pretend a truth isn't a truth.  The priority here is the health of the person receiving the transfusion.  Not the feelings of the potential donor.   I would be afraid to receive a blood transfusion from a gay man.  If they had triple checked the blood it would be different.  But why spend the money just to prevent someone's feelings from being hurt?  I bet if you asked a gay man if he'd have no issue receiving a blood transfusion from another gay man.  He would be nervous as well.

So you automatically assume that a gay mans blood is bad? I'm guessing you would rather die then receive this blood right? If you or a family member needs blood you will be sure to make sure that the blood is from a nice straight person, or they must re-check it because you are afraid of gay blood?

The ignorance behind the idea that a gay mans blood is bad or more likely to harm you after it goes through testing etc is silly. I would rather get the blood from a gay man then not get blood...I have gay friends and straight friends and if the fear is whose blood might be a carrier i'd rather they gay mans then some of my church going, long term relationship straight friends...a persons sexual orientation has NO baring on if they are a risk or not and it makes me sad that there are still people who are stuck in the past enough to believe that it does.