board77

The Last Homely Site on the Web

Ban on Gay Men's Blood

Post Reply   Page 1 of 1  [ 19 posts ]
Author Message
yovargas
Post subject: Ban on Gay Men's Blood
Posted: Fri 05 Mar , 2010 1:08 am
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 14774
Joined: Thu 24 Feb , 2005 12:11 pm
 
For those who don't know, blood banks do not allow men who have ever had any kind of sexual contact with another man to donate blood. A friend just sent me a link to this story which made me very happy whether or not it comes to anything:

Ban on Gay Men's Blood
Quote:
Will it take an act of Congress to get the Food and Drug Administration to lift its ban on gay male donors? Or just Sen. John Kerry running his mouth about the stupid policy?

Just after we heard the excellent recommendations from the Gay Men's Health Crisis about how to fix the FDA's discriminatory (and altogether harmful) policy on gay men, it's Kerry to the rescue. "Not a single piece of scientific evidence supports the ban," says Kerry. "A law that was once considered medically justified is today simply outdated and needs to end."
I have given blood before but it is extremely frustrating to me to have to lie in order to do it. It would make me very happy to see someone end this insulting and harmful policy.


Top
Profile Quote
LalaithUrwen
Post subject: Re: Ban on Gay Men's Blood
Posted: Fri 05 Mar , 2010 1:32 am
The Grey Amaretto as Supermega-awesome Proud Heretic Girl
Offline
 
Posts: 21758
Joined: Thu 24 Feb , 2005 3:46 pm
 
If the Red Cross and other blood bank associations approve of it, then it's fine with me. At this point, it can't be any riskier than heteros. It wasn't intended to be insulting and harmful at the beginning, though. I'm sure you understand that. It was a reasonable safety precaution, and there are plenty of other bans in place. Or used to be in place. Like having tattoos. Like having traveled overseas. Any behavior that opened you up to the possibility of having HIV or some weird parasite marked you as ineligible for donation.

If it makes you feel any better, I am banned from donating blood. :blackeye: Evidently, a protein in my blood (probably allergy related) interferes with the screening tests for HIV. Actually, it interferes with portions of the Western-Blot test, too, so they have to do a direct antigen test. Anyway, apparently, that's too scary (and costly, I'm sure), so I'm banned.

(I don't have HIV.)

_________________

[ img ]


Top
Profile Quote
Nienor SharkAttack
Post subject: Re: Ban on Gay Men's Blood
Posted: Fri 05 Mar , 2010 12:38 pm
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 1858
Joined: Thu 28 Oct , 2004 2:34 pm
Location: Norway
 
Even here, where gay marriage is legal, we still have this stupid ban. It really is ridiculous. All (potential) donors are turned away if they engage in what is deemed risk behaviour (casual sex etc). So there is no reason, no reason at all not to accept gay donors who are doing no such thing. It's just plain, ugly discrimination.

_________________

[ img ]


Top
Profile Quote
Rinon
Post subject: Re: Ban on Gay Men's Blood
Posted: Fri 05 Mar , 2010 1:15 pm
the other half of the dyblamic duo
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 297
Joined: Sat 25 Jun , 2005 9:38 pm
Location: pa
 
The largest demographic that is getting HIV these days is not even gay men (or women for that matter). This whole thing is ridiculous and I'm glad to see someone finally doing something about it.


Top
Profile Quote
LalaithUrwen
Post subject: Re: Ban on Gay Men's Blood
Posted: Fri 05 Mar , 2010 2:08 pm
The Grey Amaretto as Supermega-awesome Proud Heretic Girl
Offline
 
Posts: 21758
Joined: Thu 24 Feb , 2005 3:46 pm
 
Again, this is one of those instances where, personal feelings aside, what matters the most is the science. Do the numbers show that it's safe to use blood from gay men? How do those numbers compare to straight men? Women? The ultimate goal is to have a blood product that is as safe as you can possibly make it.

I guess what I'm saying is that I'm looking at this from a very clinical perspective. Is it safe? Great! Then remove the ban. Or do the risks outweigh the benefits, scientifically speaking? If so, then the ban should stay in place--and that's any type of ban for any reason.

The numbers must be showing that it is relatively safe to use blood from gay men or else the Red Cross and the blood bank associations wouldn't be supporting lifting the ban. (I'm guessing now that the risk of disease is about the same as for the straight population.) If so, then it makes sense to drop the ban.

_________________

[ img ]


Top
Profile Quote
MariaHobbit
Post subject: Re: Ban on Gay Men's Blood
Posted: Fri 05 Mar , 2010 2:28 pm
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 8041
Joined: Thu 03 Feb , 2005 2:39 pm
Location: MO
 
I'm banned, too. I lived in Europe during the wrong years.

_________________


.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

[ img ]


Top
Profile Quote
vison
Post subject: Re: Ban on Gay Men's Blood
Posted: Fri 05 Mar , 2010 4:05 pm
Best friends forever
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 6546
Joined: Fri 04 Feb , 2005 4:49 am
 
I'm not banned, but I can't because I had all that chemo, or so I'm told.

_________________

Living on Earth is expensive,
but it does include a free trip
around the sun every year.


Top
Profile Quote
MariaHobbit
Post subject: Re: Ban on Gay Men's Blood
Posted: Fri 05 Mar , 2010 7:00 pm
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 8041
Joined: Thu 03 Feb , 2005 2:39 pm
Location: MO
 
http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-b ... eria-topic

Looks like there's a waiting time after chemo, vison, and they are particular about which sorts of cancer survivors can donate- but many can donate.

It's kinda gross how many people with sexually transmitted diseases can donate after a waiting period. I hope I never need blood! I'll ask one of my family to donate for me! Although, apparently, I'll be risking mad cow disease to accept their help, simply because we were living in Germany for more than 3 months in the wrong decade. :roll: They really ought to get a test for that darn disease! My father has given several dozen gallons of blood in his life, and I've only given once and then disqualified apparently forever.

Not that I want to catch up with him. I broke down crying after that one donation. Apparently I didn't like sending parts of myself away like that.

_________________


.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

[ img ]


Top
Profile Quote
Ara-anna
Post subject: Re: Ban on Gay Men's Blood
Posted: Fri 05 Mar , 2010 7:46 pm
Daydream Believer
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 5780
Joined: Mon 28 Feb , 2005 11:15 pm
Location: Pac Northwest
 
I used to, but now I can't. Apparently spreading vampire blood isn't a good thing.


Actually it's not donating that's the problem, it's my own body needing it all and the possibility of having a reaction to donating now which could cause a flare up.

_________________

Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in

Five seconds away from the Tetons and Yellowstone


Top
Profile Quote
Jude
Post subject: Re: Ban on Gay Men's Blood
Posted: Fri 05 Mar , 2010 8:11 pm
Aspiring to heresy
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 19653
Joined: Wed 23 Feb , 2005 6:54 pm
Location: Canada
 
I'm permanently banned from donating in Canada because I lived in the UK for too long, during the wrong time.

_________________

[ img ]

Melkor and Ungoliant in need of some relationship counselling.


Top
Profile Quote
elfshadow
Post subject: Re: Ban on Gay Men's Blood
Posted: Fri 05 Mar , 2010 10:20 pm
Kill the headlights and put it in neutral
Offline
 
Posts: 5407
Joined: Tue 09 Aug , 2005 2:27 am
 
I was only banned for 12 months for getting a tattoo about a year ago. Other than that, I donate regularly.


I have long been uncomfortable with the ban on blood donations from gay males. Being gay is not a risk factor for having HIV/AIDS. Being sexually promiscuous is.


Maria, syphilis and gonorrhea are both easily treated with antibiotics. It's really no different than getting antibiotics for any other bacterial infection. :scratch: And even then there is a 12 month waiting period. The other STDs that do not have a wait period are not transmittable via blood. Any blood that you received in the hospital would have been tested for the major diseases that can be transmitted through blood, anyway. It's quite safe.


Top
Profile Quote
tolkienpurist
Post subject: Re: Ban on Gay Men's Blood
Posted: Fri 05 Mar , 2010 11:53 pm
Unlabeled
Offline
 
Posts: 1646
Joined: Thu 03 Mar , 2005 4:01 am
Location: San Francisco
 
LalaithUrwen wrote:
Again, this is one of those instances where, personal feelings aside, what matters the most is the science. Do the numbers show that it's safe to use blood from gay men? How do those numbers compare to straight men? Women? The ultimate goal is to have a blood product that is as safe as you can possibly make it.
I agree that science matters more than personal feelings. Indeed I had quite a clinical view of the issue as long as I only dated women. From my perspective, it was about keeping the blood supply safe, and the historic reasons for the MSM ban were well-known and (as you say, Lali) justified at the time.

What caused me to change my perspective on the issue was the prospect of, ironically, (protected) heterosexual intimacy with someone who had had a single (protected) MSM contact. I can scarcely put into words how that made me feel, the idea that monogamous, protected intimacy between two people who had been very safe and restrained in their intimate practices -- and who had tested negative for all STDs more than six months after their last sexual contact -- should make my blood unsafe to donate, in my government's view (a woman who has sexual contact with a MSM is subject to a one-year ban after the last contact; if you are in an on-going relationship with such a MSM, you are ineligible to donate). At an emotional level, it felt like an assault, an indictment - almost like, "You choose to be with someone who is 'dirty', so now you're 'dirty' too." (even though, ironically, we were both 'clean') The rule became even more outrageous, in my estimate, because I could choose to have unprotected heterosexual contact every night of the week with men who had only been with other women, and I would remain eligible to donate -- even though that would put me at extremely high risk for any number of STDs, including HIV. In view of this fact, this hypocrisy, it became impossible for me to view these two anti-gay bans as remotely connected to safety. There's something so viscerally painful about the government judging your very blood unsuitable for donation based on your engaging in responsible, safe, protected sexual practices that are objectively far lower-risk than the sexual practices of people who remain eligible. I did not understand this when I identified as lesbian. I also do not think that bans based on overseas residency or tattoos are comparable, because these things are not loaded with the same kinds of moral judgments and practical discrimination.


Top
Profile Quote
elfshadow
Post subject: Re: Ban on Gay Men's Blood
Posted: Sat 06 Mar , 2010 1:57 am
Kill the headlights and put it in neutral
Offline
 
Posts: 5407
Joined: Tue 09 Aug , 2005 2:27 am
 
I agree with you, nel, that the restriction on women who have had sexual contact with any male who has had sexual contact with another male (that's a mouthful!) bothered me just as much as the ban on gay males. It extends the discrimination against gay men so far as to be infuriating. Back in the 1980s, being gay was only considered a risk factor for HIV/AIDS because the disease first started to spread in that population. That was twenty years ago. IMO, the biggest risk factor for HIV now is a lack of education. Otherwise, it is relatively easy for anyone, gay or straight, to protect themselves against HIV other STDs. I think that probably, now, low-income and inner-city young people are probably at the greatest risk for HIV. Campaigns in those areas to stop the spread of AIDS are growing, but not fast enough. DC has an astonishingly high rate of infection (1 in 20, if you can believe it) and you can bet that most of those people are poor. Does this mean we should make poverty a "bannable" blood donation offense? Of course not, because it is not being poor that causes HIV/AIDS, but engaging in risky behavior. By the same logic, it is pretty despicable that being gay continues to ban men and any of their female sexual partners from donating blood.


Top
Profile Quote
ToshoftheWuffingas
Post subject: Re: Ban on Gay Men's Blood
Posted: Sat 06 Mar , 2010 2:42 am
Filthy darwinian hobbit
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 6921
Joined: Fri 11 Mar , 2005 12:52 pm
Location: Silly Suffolk
 
Living in the UK as I do I would like to apologise to the world for mad cow disease.
In our defence I would say that we did get rid of her in the end.

_________________

[ img ]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos

Norwich Beer Festival 2009


Top
Profile Quote
LalaithUrwen
Post subject: Re: Ban on Gay Men's Blood
Posted: Sat 06 Mar , 2010 3:09 pm
The Grey Amaretto as Supermega-awesome Proud Heretic Girl
Offline
 
Posts: 21758
Joined: Thu 24 Feb , 2005 3:46 pm
 
tp, thank you for sharing that. It's a perspective I can only imagine based on what you and others say.

I really don't mean to sound insensitive, and I hope that I'm not. As I've said repeatedly, if the statistics and the science support the safety of lifting the ban, great! It should absolutely be lifted. And if the ban stays in place despite that then I do think it has become discriminatory. I think this is the movement we see taking place now, so I hope things do change.

It's not quite the same, but I can sympathize with how it feels to be told you can't donate blood. It is especially troublesome to me because they're not really sure what is causing my blood to react, and you do begin to feel that there is something wrong with you, something that makes you unclean or unsafe. Dangerous. It's not a pleasant feeling at all, particularly since I liked to donate blood, knowing how important and valuable it is. (And blood banking was my absolute favorite area of the lab to work, so I had a deep connection to it and understanding of it all.) To be rejected and left with questions as to what exactly is going on in my blood is disconcerting, to say the least. The only thing that keeps me calm about it is that the direct antigen test was negative and that I have almost no risk factors for HIV (aside from having worked in a lab--but I never stuck myself or anything).

But it's rather embarrassing to have to explain to others why I can't participate in blood drives. In fact, I usually abbreviate the explanation to "Some protein in my blood interferes with some of their screening tests, so I can't donate." If I try to explain the full thing to the average person, they have a horrified look on their face the whole time and inevitably ask at the very end, "So you have AIDS?"

:roll:

_________________

[ img ]


Top
Profile Quote
Jonny
Post subject: Re: Ban on Gay Men's Blood
Posted: Sun 07 Mar , 2010 5:53 am
pixel-pusher
Offline
 
Posts: 1560
Joined: Tue 06 Dec , 2005 1:18 am
Contact: Website
 
I'm banned for several reasons.

Jk. Just one, but I wanted to sound badass.

_________________

“And the ship went out into the High Sea and passed into the West, until at last on a night of rain Frodo smelled a sweet fragrance on the air and heard the sound of singing that came over the water. And then it seemed to him that as in his dream in the house of Bombadil, the grey rain-curtain turned all to silver glass and was rolled back, and he beheld white shores and beyond them a far green country under a swift sunrise.”


Top
Profile Quote
Riverthalos
Post subject: Re: Ban on Gay Men's Blood
Posted: Sun 07 Mar , 2010 2:02 pm
bioalchemist
Offline
 
Posts: 5205
Joined: Wed 16 Mar , 2005 2:10 am
Location: at a safe distance
 
I'm not banned perse but I get so much static it's not worth it. Too many visits to Third World countries. Most of the time, I stay above the malaria risk areas, but such nuances tend to be lost on people in charge.

As far as the gay man blood ban goes, when it was put in place, it made sense. It truly and honestly did. IIRC, Patient Zero in the US was a gay man. It was certainly the gay men who got sick first (in fact, if you read Randy Shilts's book, you'll get a firsthand account of just how devastating those early years were to the gay male population), with IV drug users in lock step behind them. In the straight population in the US, the initial HIV cases could all be traced to either a male-male sexual encounter or needle-sharing or a transfusion of contaminated blood or transplantation of a contaminated organ. Back then, the testing was cruddy at best and no one knew how widespread it was yet and it was in the blood supply and it was just a bad bad scene. Of course, there's a good five year lag between getting infected and getting sick so the measure was ultimately too little too late, but so much was not understood that banning gay men from giving blood really did seem like the right thing to do. BUT that was almost twenty years ago.

Flash forward to now. Not only has HIV testing itself improved, but the demographics of the epidemic and the sexual culture among both gays and straights have drastically changed as well. People my age think of unprotected sex outside a committed monogamous relationship as something akin to Russian roulette. HIV is around. Anyone can get it, anyone can have it and you just have to avoid it and I'd be shocked if anyone makes it through high school without learning how to not get AIDS. We've hit an equilibrium point. And, at this point in time, in the US, I would be utterly stunned if a gay man's blood proved to be any more inherently dangerous than a straight man's. I think the only reason the ban hasn't fallen is, honestly, inertia. Once bits of bureaucracy are put in place they are very rarely taken away, even after their usefulness has been outlived.

_________________

"He attacks. And here I can kill him. But I don't. That's the answer to world peace, people."
-Stickles Shihan


Top
Profile Quote
elfshadow
Post subject: Re: Ban on Gay Men's Blood
Posted: Sun 07 Mar , 2010 2:51 pm
Kill the headlights and put it in neutral
Offline
 
Posts: 5407
Joined: Tue 09 Aug , 2005 2:27 am
 
As an aside, the story about the start of HIV and its discovery is pretty fascinating. There was an HBO movie about it called And The Band Played On, with Ian McKellan if that makes anyone more interested.


Top
Profile Quote
Rinon
Post subject: Re: Ban on Gay Men's Blood
Posted: Fri 12 Mar , 2010 6:00 am
the other half of the dyblamic duo
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 297
Joined: Sat 25 Jun , 2005 9:38 pm
Location: pa
 
Fascinating, and when you look at the (lack of) response, really, really depressing. Letting people die without pushing education and research because of a moral aversion to homosexuality? Regardless of personal beliefs, a lot of good people died who didn't deserve to, including family members of mine.

Sorry to digress though.


Top
Profile Quote
Display: Sort by: Direction:
Post Reply   Page 1 of 1  [ 19 posts ]
Return to “The Symposium”
Jump to: