Gays need not apply?

[BushOut06]

I went to give blood the other day, and while I was filling out the paperwork, there was a list of things that automatically disqualified you from giving blood. One of those was that if you were a male, and had had any sexual contact with another male since 1977, you weren't allowed to give blood.

What kind of ignorant bullshit is that? I guess it's okay if you're a heterosexual male, and sleep around with every bar slut you can get your hands on. But god forbid that a gay male who is in a monogamous relationship, and has himself regularly tested, wants to give blood.

To top it off, all blood samples are tested anyways! I'm just glad that we have plenty of blood available, and can afford to turn people away because of their sexual preferences. :sarcasm:

Does anyone know if this has ever been challenged in court?

[iamjoy]

1. Don't Want People To Catch It

you know, homosexuality may be contagious - transmitted by blood, right?

[Warpy]

2. It's not going to stand up much longer

and dates back to the days when they first realized HIV was a blood and body fluid borne disease and that the prime carriers in this country were gay men. There was no test at that time.

Fast forward to 2006. The fastest growing groups are women of color and women over 50. Women.

The proscription is outmoded and will be discarded soon, I think, unless they want to eliminate women from donating if they've had <gasp> sex.

[terrya]

3. It is ignorant, homophobic bullshit.

It's a holdover from the early years of the AIDS epidemic.

There's no fucking excuse whatsoever for that bigoted, exclusionary bullshit today. None whatsoever. As you said, all blood samples are tested, anyway.

I refuse to give blood because I am a gay man. I have, of course, had sexual contact with a male (my partner of 6 years). I am HIV -, have no STD's whatsoever. I COULD give blood...but I'm not going to lie about my sexual orientation. Period. Their loss, sad to say.

[electron_blue]

4. this isn't news - it has to do with hiv/aids, not 'catching homosexuality'

I've never heard of it challenged in being challenged in court. Frankly, I don't imagine that that form keeps many men (who have had sex with at least one man since 1977) from donating blood. And obviously, one can have hiv/aids and *not* be homosexual.

[BushOut06]

5. It has everything to do with homosexuality

Because it specifically asks if you're a male and have had sex with another male since 1977.

It does NOT ask if you have had unprotected sex with any women within any timespan. It does NOT ask if you have had multiple sexual partners over a selected span of time. I could have gone on a fucking binge and had sex with a dozen women in the last month, and I would have been allowed to donate blood. But if I had sex with a guy ten years ago, I would be disqualified! Even if I had blood tests going back every six months showing I was HIV-, I would not be allowed to give blood if I were gay.

[VelmaD]

8. While I agree with you that the ban is ridiculous...

there is a reason they ask about sex with men and not sex with women. It is much more difficult for a man to catch HIV from an infected woman. The tranmission from an infected male to his partner is much easier. If they really wanted to get technical they would ask about specific high-risk sexual behaviors for people of both genders. So yes, the ban is silly and it doesn't even really ask the questions that would weed out high-risk donors and it's all about homophobia...but that's not the reason they don't ask about sex with women.

[Occulus]

7. Not only HIV

There are many other diseases carried by blood, such as hepatitis, and if you've ever had that (even as a child), you cannot donate blood.

[Olney Blue]

6. This is a hold-over from the early days when tests were not available.

You are right- sexual promiscuity should be considered a risk factor for HIV infection- male or female, straight or gay.
IV drug use and travel to countries where BSE occurs is considered a risk.

I've wondered how effective these questionnaires are in getting truthful answers. Testing the blood is the only answer.

[xchrom]

9. a straight male friend of mine found out that he had hiv

when he donated blood.

that was an interesting letter and a more interesting day.