Gay Blood Ban: By JustDylanJack
Gay Blood Ban: This issue and the general public’s ignorance about it, makes me feel exactly like this image of Christian Bale from American Psycho. The fact that he has blood on his face is really just a plus.
It astounds me that the gays (never even mind the hetero’s) are not aware that currently, any man who has ever had protected or unprotected oral or anal sex with another man (a.k.a. gay men or gay men in denial) cannot donate blood in the US and the UK. The current lifelong ban put into effect in 1985 during the early days of the Aids crisis - prevents any man who since 1977 has had sex with another man from donating blood in order to help prevent the spread of HIV through transfusions.
After South African gay rights advocacy groups threatened a lawsuit on the grounds of unfair discrimination in 2006, the South African National Blood Services (SANBS) ,who like many others in the world also adopted the US gay blood donor’s policy, agreed to allow gay men that have been celibate for six months to donate blood.
This is not the case in the US as the Department of Health and Human Services voted to uphold the decades-old ban on gay men donating blood, while advocating for more research on the controversial issue.
Although there is hope, as the UK Department of Health has just announced that it will remove the lifetime blood donation ban on any man who has ever had gay sex and instead, there will be a one-year deferral period, meaning that men who have not had gay sex in the last 12 months may donate blood. The change comes into force in England, Wales and Scotland on November the 7th 2011.
But gay rights campaigners said gay men would still be treated unfairly under the new rules, as heterosexuals engaged in higher risk sexual activity are not subject to the same restrictions. Although all blood is tested for HIV and other diseases, there is a period of time in which new infections cannot be detected to which Peter Tatchell (Human right campaigner and a personal hero of mine) says: “Although the new policy is a big improvement on the existing discriminatory rules, a 12 month ban is still excessive and unjustified. Most gay and bisexual men do not have HIV and will never have HIV.”
You can read all you need to know about the UK’s new policy and the debate that followed here.
As a closeted young man, concerned for the community and encourage by my mother who is a hectic donor (She has 0 Neg so they practically stalk her for her blood and offer mugs and pens in exchange). I used to donate blood all the time. It is something I believe in (I’m no Jehovah’s Witness). One little prick can save a life (that’s what he said).
After coming out and a while of donating, I felt it dishonest and a detriment to my integrity to lie on the form which asked me if you had previously engaged in anal or oral sex with another man. So I circled yes. Well, the nurse checking my form wasn’t very well prepared to see that. After catching her breath and recovering from the horrified look on her face. She obviously wasn’t expecting this sexual deviant to have such an angelic smile.
“Oh my, I see you have answered this question with a yes…” pointing to the form. “Well you shouldn’t do that…” I am feeling rather awkward at this point and had to listen to her inform me why I no longer was allowed to donate blood for another 6 months. She did not ask me if I had engaged in anal or oral sex or even if I was safe. She merely dismissed me with a look of shock and disgust. So I left with my “Well fuck you too” face on muttering “If you don’t want it, I’ll keep it.”
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