Gay son prevented from donating blood to dying mother

[Bluebear]

A gay man whose mother died from cancer is calling for a change in the law after he was prevented from donating blood to help her.

Dij Bentley's mother Christine, 47, died from acute myeloid leukaemia in August last year.

Prior to her death, she had developed an infection and needed a blood transfusion.

Friends and family members were asked to give blood to see if they were a match for her. Although Bentley did not know whether he was a match, he was prevented from donating under rules which bar men who have had with another man from giving blood.

She died ten days after developing an infection in her brain on August 14th.

Bentley, a 21-year-old student, told the Herald he had tried to give blood aged 17 but was told by a nurse he could not.

He said: “My eyes have been opened to this since my mum died. Maybe gay men do have a right to give blood if they want to. Certainly for me, who was in a monogamous relationship, I think it would have been acceptable in these circumstances.”

Both the Scottish Blood Transfusion Service and the National Blood Service (England and Wales) bar gay and bisexual men from donating blood for life.

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/04/gay-son-prevented-from-donating-blood-to-dying-mother/

[Libertas1776]

1. They pull this same crap

over here in the states too. It's such bullshit. :grr:

[HBravo]

2. They can run simple tests.

:wtf:

[dkf]

4. Do those tests react instantaneously? I thought there is a lag.

[HBravo]

7. Some test can be done in 24 hours others take a couple of days

that shouldn't stop someone.

[StarfarerBill]

3. Discriminatory and sickening, pure and simple.

[LiberalAndProud]

5. When laws defy common sense, it is time to change the laws.

This is just *beyond* understanding.

[lunatica]

6. Every time I give blood I have to answer a questionnaire about being gay or not

They always check for HIV so why they don't let gay men donate blood is senseless.

[ThomCat]

8. We are a decade past any policy justification for this bullshit.

I had give blood 13 times. Whenever I was able to give blood again I would go in and donate. Then I had my first boyfriend, and they refused to ever take my blood after that.

I'm 0+ so my blood is always in demand. There have been a number of well publicized blood shortages where they have been begging for donors, but the powers that be refuse to consider lifting the ban on gay men giving blood.

If you are straight, no matter how risky your behavior or how high your risk, they'll take your blood and then test it before they use it. But because of bigotry, and no other reason but bigotry, they won't accept our blood at all.

I could have been a 5 gallon donor by the time my disability finally would have forced me to stop donating. They turned that blood away, as they've turned away the blood of all the willing gay and bisexual donors. What sense does that make?

We are a decade past any policy justification for this bullshit. :grr:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

9. +1.

:hi:

[demigoddess]

10. they didn't want mom to catch homosexuality. They are sure it is catching.

or am i wrong??