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You're Gay? You can't help save lives!
Ok, bear with me here, this is something that's been bubbling in the back of my mind for a while.
So, I went to donate blood today. My blood type is O-, making me a universal donor. I mentioned this in passing to one of my CWs, and he's unhappy because he's gay. He's barred from ever donating blood, because he happens to be attracted to/fall in love with someone the same sex as him. There was another comment on a thread I posted on CS saying the same thing.
How in the hell is this FAIR? I realize that the 80s AIDS scare was a huge deal. And calling it gay cancer and whatnot caused a lot of irrational fears and prejudices, but it's long since been proven that gay men, in fact, are NOT the only ones who carry/can contract the disease. I realize that there is a need for precautions, and the fact that not all blood can be screened is a huge deal, but at the same time, there are still cases of people getting diseases from a bad transfusion. And yet, gay men still aren't allowed to sign up to donate blood, bone marrow, or anything really. Right? Again, how is that fair?
Lesbians are allowed to donate blood, but homosexual men aren't, if I'm not mistaken. During the screening process, I'm not once asked if I have had sex with another woman. And yet, One of the questions you're asked during screening, as a female, is "Have you had sexual contact with a male who has had sexual relations with a male?" Every other question about sexual behavior asks if I've come into contact with an "individual", who has done drugs/accepted drugs or money for sex/shared needles, etc.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but AIDS is a sexually transmitted disease, not a homosexually transmitted disease. It is transmitted through bodily fluids. This has been proven. Without trying to sound vulgar, as a woman I can pretty much guarantee, we have bodily fluids that are just as capable as spreading disease as a man. For every man with HIV/AIDs, I'm pretty sure women exist with the disease as well.
The need for blood, in my region at least, is HUGE. At least 1000 donations are needed DAILY to keep up with the demand. Yet, how much of the population is being banned from ever trying to save lives, simply because of how they're wired. I mean, if you practice safe sex, get tested regularly, and all those other precautions we're taught growing up, how can you not be allowed to help your society? This makes me unbearably sad, and puts me in an odd position.
On the one hand, I'm O-. I know that there's a large demand for my blood type, to the point that I almost religiously try to donate every 8 weeks, the minimum allowed. On the other hand, there is a part of me that is disgusted and insulted on behalf of my friends and colleagues who, being wonderfully caring and compassionate people, are being told they can't try to help out in this way because they are attracted to and desire to have sex with another man. I think the laws regarding this need to be dragged into the 21st century, but every attempt made to do so has been shot down because of the undying fear and prejudice that still exists in the undertones of our culture - that if you're gay, there's something wrong with you, and you're obviously deficient in some way.
I just had to get that out, because it's something that's been bugging me for a few weeks now. I'm not going to stop giving blood when I can, because I know it's not right to withhold a donation that can help save lives. But I'm not going to be any less angry at the injustice I think is happening, especially when I see the ads and emails and brochures that scream about how blood is in such short supply, and why won't more people donate?
So, I went to donate blood today. My blood type is O-, making me a universal donor. I mentioned this in passing to one of my CWs, and he's unhappy because he's gay. He's barred from ever donating blood, because he happens to be attracted to/fall in love with someone the same sex as him. There was another comment on a thread I posted on CS saying the same thing.
How in the hell is this FAIR? I realize that the 80s AIDS scare was a huge deal. And calling it gay cancer and whatnot caused a lot of irrational fears and prejudices, but it's long since been proven that gay men, in fact, are NOT the only ones who carry/can contract the disease. I realize that there is a need for precautions, and the fact that not all blood can be screened is a huge deal, but at the same time, there are still cases of people getting diseases from a bad transfusion. And yet, gay men still aren't allowed to sign up to donate blood, bone marrow, or anything really. Right? Again, how is that fair?
Lesbians are allowed to donate blood, but homosexual men aren't, if I'm not mistaken. During the screening process, I'm not once asked if I have had sex with another woman. And yet, One of the questions you're asked during screening, as a female, is "Have you had sexual contact with a male who has had sexual relations with a male?" Every other question about sexual behavior asks if I've come into contact with an "individual", who has done drugs/accepted drugs or money for sex/shared needles, etc.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but AIDS is a sexually transmitted disease, not a homosexually transmitted disease. It is transmitted through bodily fluids. This has been proven. Without trying to sound vulgar, as a woman I can pretty much guarantee, we have bodily fluids that are just as capable as spreading disease as a man. For every man with HIV/AIDs, I'm pretty sure women exist with the disease as well.
The need for blood, in my region at least, is HUGE. At least 1000 donations are needed DAILY to keep up with the demand. Yet, how much of the population is being banned from ever trying to save lives, simply because of how they're wired. I mean, if you practice safe sex, get tested regularly, and all those other precautions we're taught growing up, how can you not be allowed to help your society? This makes me unbearably sad, and puts me in an odd position.
On the one hand, I'm O-. I know that there's a large demand for my blood type, to the point that I almost religiously try to donate every 8 weeks, the minimum allowed. On the other hand, there is a part of me that is disgusted and insulted on behalf of my friends and colleagues who, being wonderfully caring and compassionate people, are being told they can't try to help out in this way because they are attracted to and desire to have sex with another man. I think the laws regarding this need to be dragged into the 21st century, but every attempt made to do so has been shot down because of the undying fear and prejudice that still exists in the undertones of our culture - that if you're gay, there's something wrong with you, and you're obviously deficient in some way.
I just had to get that out, because it's something that's been bugging me for a few weeks now. I'm not going to stop giving blood when I can, because I know it's not right to withhold a donation that can help save lives. But I'm not going to be any less angry at the injustice I think is happening, especially when I see the ads and emails and brochures that scream about how blood is in such short supply, and why won't more people donate?
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