I was reading an article which was explaining that the Red Cross is going to review their ban on allowing gay men to donate blood. Call me ignorant but I had no idea that gay men were not allowed to donate blood. To me, this thought is absolutely ludicrous.
I understand the concern about blood born diseases and that the risk in gay men is higher due to their choice of lifestyle, but does this not also include the heterosexual community? I know a lot of heterosexual males and females that lead a very promiscuous lifestyle, and on the other hand, I have gay friends that have been in a monogamous relationship for longer than I have.
The Red Cross should not be looking at sexual orientation but rather lifestyle choices such as promiscuity or monogamy. Blood screening should be standard on everybody and whether you are gay, straight, bisexual or transsexual should not make an ounce of difference. Many heterosexual men and women are contracting the HIV virus whether it be through IV drug use or unprotected sex so why are they banning gay men? Is the blood of a gay man not the same as a heterosexual one? Is it of less value?
As far as I can see, the Red Cross is losing a lot of potential blood donors that could be saving many many lives. There is such a shortage of blood donors so why are they banning a population of people who potentially would increase the supply of much needed blood.
The Red Cross is supposed to help people by providing supplies that are vital for life, what difference does it make what your sexual orientation? Would they decline a money donation from a gay man, Or clothing and other forms donations? I think not, so why blood?
The story and review was sparked when a Tasmanian man ( Mr Michael Cain) entered a Red Cross blood bank to donate blood and he was told he could not donate blood after answering the standard questionnaire. The current policy is that any male who has engaged in male to male intercourse with in the last 12 months is not allowed to donate blood. The reasons the Red Cross gave on this policy was because “HIV has a small window period in it’s early stages where it cannot be detected.” But once again what does this have to do with sexual orientation I say. This can be applied to anyone (homosexual and heterosexual alike) having promiscuous unprotected sex.
Now this all happened in 2004 so why has it taken 6 years for the Red Cross to come around? Whilst the Red Cross where not found to be discriminatory directly or even indirectly their logic was found to be archaic and unfair. Mr Cain opened their eyes to the fact that gay men can also be considered low risk, in fact in some cases the risk could be lower than in some of the donors that are currently donating regularly.
Australia has the safest blood in the world, as far as donated blood goes. The screening of donated blood is so rigorous that the risk of contracting a blood born disease is very minimal. It is time to open the doors to all walks of life, and identify that the risk is not because of sexual orientation but how many sexual partners you chose to have in a short space of time and if you chose to have safe sex. Lets stop singling out our gay community because it is getting old and tired.
What do you think about this issue? Do you think that gay men should be allowed to donate blood like the rest of us? Do you think it makes a difference if you’re gay or straight?
image source (fotosearch.com.au)
“Friends…Romans and Countrymen”
I agree shoils..my blood is red and worth taking.It is a fact you could lie when doing this Form as I was also told these details are on computer data base;so much of PRIVACY!!!???
I was refused but knew the nurse was gay and we laughed!I asked to write an Incident Form:it was denied.Again we are faced with’human labels’ and for what purpose?
It is not such a case of gender specific nor orientation.It is humanities “need” to lay blame.
Jews;gays;blacks…. were all tagets in the W W’s as they were if you bother to read history. Medical searching and great finds were all’shunned’.
Like water we can not live without blood and we need it. Australian’s do not get paid for their donations,unlike in many other places.IV drug users present many clinical problems re blood.I agree all gays should be able to give blood and I have yet to read any standing Australian Legislation anti-gay blood use.[let me know if one exist pls!]
If one exists,why do we gays’ all pay tax,vote,stand for Parliament,represent fellow workers rights and are so well educated?
I suggest it is/ was ‘small minded people with purile minds’ thought this up after a “heavy night of lusting”.
How can they tell if you are gay?? If you don’t disclose it to them they don’t exactly have a `gaydar’ at the door. Homosexual and heterosexuals both know the risks of unprotected sex in this day and age. In the 80s HIV was new to all and there were myths that had be dispelled before it sank in that homosexual,heterosexual or bisexual you could be infected and infect others with this disease. I doubt that any homosexuals would donate blood if they knew there was any risk of having a blood borne disease. IV drug users wouldn’t donate anyway as unlike the USA we don’t pay donors. Isn’t that a blessing in disguise!
Hang on… I used to work for the bloodbank in parramatta from 2005 to 2008, and never have I Interviewed anyone asking them if they were gay? There is only one question in the interview whether the aspiring donor have had sex with the same sex within the past 24 months. But it was not for discriminatory purposes but rather for the safety of the blood
In addition, The aim is to provide the australian people Safe Blood. And because it is freely given, which is why,all the more, we have to scan the donors thoroughly. Its not only the “gays” who are being scanned? some of the private questions relate to couples too.
I totally agree that the red cross has to screen donors and I am a gay man who has been in a totally monogamous relationship for more than 18 years and have never had sex with another person apart from my partner. It is realised that ‘gays’ are not the only ones being scanned but when one of the questions is if you have engaged in same sex (male to male) in the past 12 months it would naturally be assumed that you were gay. Straight people who are asked the same question would not answer in the affirmative even though I personally know a lot of straight people whom I would call “sluts” and hop from bed to bed with unprotected sex … all of them would be able to donate blood without question. I used to donate blood since I was 17 years old and the Australian Red Cross has missed out on many hundreds of donations of my fairly rare blood type. It’s about time this question was reviewed urgently
Okay, I’m going to wade into this. I am currently a Nurse with the Large Mobile Unit of the Clarence Street Blood Bank.
I’m going to put a facts out here that alot in general seem to be missing.
We ask One question, which has just been changed. Haveyou had Male to Male Sex, Oral or Anal, with or without a condom, in the last 12 months.
Thats it. I’ve deffered people for it, many times, never once did anyone have go at me or cause a scene.
We also deffer you for six months for many lifestyle choices, such as,
-Intercourse with a sex worker in the last 12 months,
-being a sex worker in the same time frame,
-intercourse with a person who lived in a HIV n the last 10 years, male or female, with or without a condom,
-injecting drugs not perscribed by a Medical practioner
-A Tattoo within the last 6 Months (Used to be 12, changed this week to 6)
then ones not realted to life choices,
-If you suspect your parter has done any of the above
-Treatment with clotting factors VIII or XI
-Being in prison for more the 72 hours
But that is a mere fraction of what we deffer for. Anyone who lived in the UK from 1980-1996 is permanently deffered. If you’ve had a stroke or heart attack, if your epilieptic, all permanent defferals.
And my final point. A warning to any who intends on lying on this document. The Human Tissue Act (NSW) states, you could face penalties of between a $5,500 fine to 12 months in prison for lying on the form. It is a legal document.
I’m not taking sides, I’m just stating the facts. These policies go way above the heads of the nursing staff who do the interviews. Our guidlines need approval from the T.G.A.
well just let em die then ha ? if my bloods not good enough for you , your not ever getting it ever.. anyway ! In the end more people die because of your hatred towards gay men . Sometimes the hypocrisy of this countries double standards on human rights makes me sick .