in alot of countrys gay people are not allowed to give there blood to help people who are ill do you think its time for gay people to be allowed to be a blood donour or do you think there is a big risk from doing it and making aids go worse. i think we cant be all painted with the same brush and sure some people have aids but not evry one and they can test to see if we do or dont so i think we should be allowed to be blood donors what do you think
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Re:gay blood
Date: 2008/04/20 10:56
By: 2hot_2touch
Status:
It's called stupidity/naivety/ignorance Carlos...
There is absolutely no reason, if they have the correct diagnostic equipment, for any country or Blood Bank to discriminate against someone based on their sexual orientation or race, on the pretense of AIDS when donating blood.
I know you referred only to sexual orientation but I want to broaden the scope a little to iterate my point.
As I'm sure you know, South Africa has the highest infection rate of AIDS and HIV in the world. Obviously through the stupidity of some of our locals...But I'm not going to rant about that now as I probably wouldn't stop.
ANYWAY... our national Blood Bank has quite a stringent assessment sheet that they require you to fill out before you can donate. However, until as recently as 5 years ago, I think it was, they based your ability to donate safe blood on your racial demographic group and also your sexual orientation...making assumptions before they even tested your blood.
Their reasoning was that if you were black or gay...there is a higher probability that you have AIDS.
How flawed is that sound reasoning? (Yes, the oxymoron was intended!)
It was sound thinking on the simply basis that the statistics tended to show that there was a higher probability that if you were black or gay, you were more likely to have AIDS or contract it in the near future.
But it was flawed in the sense that the statistics didn't take into account that 80% of the population here is black!!!
So it really became a case of human rights infringements based on our constitution rights, as it discriminated against certain people. So our constitutional court ruled and found that the Blood Bank could no longer discriminate against certain groups...though they still do against homosexuals (such bigotry!)...and they should only disregard donated blood on the basis of the blood being unsafe and having being proven so.
So to put my long, mostly pointless, story short...I do not think it's right to blatantly generalize on social stereotypes and stigmas. Not in todays world when we have the technology anyway!
Post edited by: 2hot_2touch, at: 2008/04/20 11:11 Shaun General Manager TheGYC Chat Service www.thegyc.com
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Re:gay blood
Date: 2008/04/21 13:46
By: Steely Dan
Status:
I'd say more understandable with organ donation where there isn't always time to check properly, but with blood it shouldn't be an issue; it gets checked anyways. It's just homophobia. Anyways straight women under 24 are now the most likely to get aids at least in Canada. If they stopped accepting blood from straight women that would be pretty hilarious. Maybe they shouldn't let straight people look after children either as they are higher risk abusers.
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Re:gay blood
Date: 2008/04/25 02:38
By: BravoLima
Status:
Being imprisoned rules one out as a blood donor. Being in the US military and serving in Iraq or Afghanistan rules one out as a blood donor for one year. Being deferred from travel to the UK and Western Europe due to concerns about Mad Cow Disease rules one out as a blood donor. A minimum age limit exists as to how old a person must be in order to donate blood (usually age 17). There is no maximum age limit.
I see you didn't bring up any of these reasons that you won't be allowed to donate blood. Let's hear a roar about the prisoners who cannot give blood, or the soldiers who can't, or people that may have gotten mad cow disease from the UK. Or all those that are under 17.
Unfortunately, with any establishment, you have rash generalisations, that are based, rather inaccurately, on broad statistics. That is simply their order of business.
Plus, I'm only too happy to have an excuse to not donate blood You should always respect one's religious beliefs, however imaginary friends, delusional behaviour, a belief in a two thousand year old folk-lore should be treated by a professional.
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Re:gay blood
Date: 2008/04/25 06:30
By: Steely Dan
Status:
But if they're checking all the blood using sound methods, why's it matter who donates?
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Re:gay blood
Date: 2008/04/26 02:39
By: Joe Lean
Status:
That's just stupid and sexist. Gay people get so much prejudice about AIDS and it's so outdated
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Re:gay blood
Date: 2008/04/26 10:00
By: jacobr
Status:
meh, what can u do about it?
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Re:gay blood
Date: 2008/04/29 04:07
By: BravoLima
Status:
Whinge whinge whinge.
When it comes to large institutions, a lot of people get 'discriminated' against. Homosexuals are hardly unique in this respect, as I've pointed out.
Steely Dan, you're thinking like a clear headed logical person. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be how large beaurocratic organisations work. I'm also not in charge of this vampiric industry, so all I can say is how it is.
If you want, donate blood without telling them you're homosexual. Then find out who the blood gets to, break into their ward when they're in hospital, just when they're transfusing it, and yell, 'Hahah, ya bastards, I'm a ragin' Queeeen I's tells ya!!!' Who knows, you might even get someone to puke. You should always respect one's religious beliefs, however imaginary friends, delusional behaviour, a belief in a two thousand year old folk-lore should be treated by a professional.
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Re:gay blood
Date: 2008/04/29 15:49
By: Chrisfx
Status:
They shouldn't take into account what the orientation of a person is. Someone who's straight can have as much or even more blood infections as someone who's gay and vice versa. What they should do is actually TEST the blood itself. But nooooo, our world is based upon judgment rather than reason.
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Re:gay blood
Date: 2008/04/29 19:17
By: Steely Dan
Status:
BravoLima wrote: If you want, donate blood without telling them you're homosexual. Then find out who the blood gets to, break into their ward when they're in hospital, just when they're transfusing it, and yell, 'Hahah, ya bastards, I'm a ragin' Queeeen I's tells ya!!!' Who knows, you might even get someone to puke.
Haha I want to do that now.
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Re:gay blood
Date: 2008/05/07 04:34
By: rcw1120
Status:
I gave blood on March 11th and one of the quesions they asked me was "Have you had sexual contact with a male since 1988" Well, I replied with " Well, first off I wasnt born at the time so unless I was a gay fetus its not an issue" Well I was being a smartass because.. well thats me! Anyway, I ended up lying my head off because I tested for all STD's 3 weeks before and abstained since. I then gave blood and I will keep the secret of my sexuality. I dont give a rip if they do take it or not. I gave blood and my mom supported my decision. ( She is a nurse) I recently recieved a card saying that I was a hero and my blood was given to a small child. Wooooo!
I am planning on giving plasma this weekend too. Just remember, Im not gay this weekend! Without love, life is rock and roll without a drummer
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Re:gay blood
Date: 2008/05/10 02:56
By: BravoLima
Status:
LOL
Heh, if that kid turns out gay, you know who they'll be blaming You should always respect one's religious beliefs, however imaginary friends, delusional behaviour, a belief in a two thousand year old folk-lore should be treated by a professional.
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