Gay Men Prohibited from Donating Organs, Blood, and Semen

[torasama]

Men who have had sex with other men, or women who have sex with a man who has had sex with a man, cannot donate blood in the US and Canada. Yet a man who has had anal sex with a prostitute for years can wait 6 months and if he has no STDS can still donate

Comments

[yep_i_am_dennis]

When I donate blood I don't bother telling them my sexuality, it's none of their business. I have no problems donating.

[den_snilek]

?So we should all lie to be able to do something every should be able to do? They point blank, at least here, ask you if you are gay, have had sex with a gay man, or have had sex with a prostitute, anal or otherwise.

I refuse to lie, even if it is none of their business.

[torasama]

Small point - they can't actually ask you if you're gay. They ask you if you've had gay sex. Which, you know, is 100000x worse than prostitute sex.

[losxprestamos]

+2 if it was a gay prostitute.

[den_snilek]

exactly! It's very... horrible. Sorry my words escape me at the moment. As a gay man it's quite idiotic that even though I've never had sex and am in a monogamous relationship with another guy I'll never be able to give blood. It just pisses me off. Very very much.

Ugh.

[randomguy3]

"I've never had sex"

If this is the case, you can give blood.

Unless you meant to put some sort of qualifier on that.

[trialia]

This was the topic in discussion when my father wound up in hospital for stitches when I was off my meds... *cough*

[tko_ak]

This isn't anything new. These bans have been on the books for decades.

[mden2013]

Nod. But public pressure on the FDA, especially framed in the context of disaster relief with Gustav coming, might cause a revisit to the issue.

[fabfemmeboy]

Exactly what I was going to say. The ban was first enacted in 1985. Is it irrational now, given the much higher rate of new infections in heterosexual females between 18 and 35? Sure. Is it problematic with the large MSM population? Yes. But I fail to see how it's newsworthy.

[losxprestamos]

Just because it isn't new, doesn't mean a call to action isn't appropriate.

[enlisted_smile]

This isn't anything new. I'm sure your congressman is already well aware of it, too. This post just kind of makes me think, "duh." No offense. lol