that's how ridiculous it is. if i abstained from anal sex for 20 years, then went for 6 HIV tests, all negative, they still would not allow me to give blood. because i'm apparently "high risk".
that's the essence of the campaign.
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burn down our home, RAPE OUR DEAD MOUTHS. Just as long as I don't have to hear anymore of your disgusting babble
I've just done a quick search to find out the reason why gay men can't give blood and came across this on the Government's Transfusion Guidelines website:
"Abolishing the rule for gay men would increase the risk of HIV infected donations entering the blood supply in England by about five times , and changing the rule to allow gay men to donate one year after they last had sex with another man would increase the risk by 60%", . (Reference: K Soldan & K Sinka, Vox Sanguinis (2003) 84, p265-273 - http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1046/j.1423-0410.2003.00295.x/abs/
The same website also says "You can decide whether it [STI infection] applies to you without the need to discuss your personal life with our staff". Basically saying that if you know you are clean, just lie on the form.
but it's not about lying on the form or "well, bend the rules if you think you're fine". it's about yet another myth attatched to gay people that keeps us second class citizens. what we need is better sex education, and a better blood donation eligibility system which would grant dated certificates after an HIV test, and this extended to heterosexual, sexually active people when the money and resources are there to permit such. it's about taking small steps towards equality without social stigma and without risk.
-- Edited by ChipsAndLube at 20:42, 2005-03-02
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burn down our home, RAPE OUR DEAD MOUTHS. Just as long as I don't have to hear anymore of your disgusting babble
Unfortunately it's not a myth, statistically a gay man is far more likely to have an STI than their straight counterpart. The quote that I gave was not a subjection one from the Government but rather an objective study by an independent body. (An abstract of the article can be read at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1046/j.1423-0410.2003.00295.x/abs/.) The article is in the university library.
Whilst the the use of dated HIV documentation sounds like a good idea it is the type of infection along with several others that has a ‘window period’ between getting an infection and the test showing a positive result, in some cases many months. So it would be possible to have an infection without knowing it or it showing up.
but if you go for a test and actively request a certificate with the intention of giving blood, i highly doubt you're going to prejudice a potential recipient by telling fibs. i know there's a window in terms of it being detected, but like i said, we need better education.
just gotta run and meet nic off the bus... shall add more later!
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burn down our home, RAPE OUR DEAD MOUTHS. Just as long as I don't have to hear anymore of your disgusting babble
lol, i swear sometimes I was born to be a blonde too, but gods have been kind, hehe
Yes, they do test every singel batch they get for infections including (obviously) HIV, and yet they STILL use this as the excuse to bar gay and bi men from donating blood. And because there is a 12-month waiting period for bi and straight women who have had sex with bi guys, this could in many cases virtually bar them forever as well.
Harumph. We'll kick up a stink about it during QueerWeek, howsaboutit?
me xx
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Three things that mark the Good Man: Truth, Honour and Love
there will be a talk/debate about this and other issues on the monday of queer week, the 14th i think 7-9 in the arc. it seems a lot of people have views on this, so come along and share them
the nurse practically told me it was ok to lie. if you've ever had a blood transfusion you can't donate because of CJD, i think. but if they ask you about having had one i think you can answer "don't know" and you can still donate. wish seems strange. why would you not know if you've had a blood transfusion? maybe they should allow you to answer "don't know" to having had sex with another man too.
at the end of the day, there is a great demand for blood donors, and so a better system should be in place to allow gay men to donate. for now though, i think everyone should lie in order to donate and increase stocks.
perhaps we could stage a protest outside the donor centre on the headrow, or maybe get the opinions of the staff who work there at least.
all of lgb men cud go in there in our campest little outfits with hinged wrists and swear none of us had sex with men before and see if they wud let us giv blood
if they dont lets just sit there and make tantrums and throw stuff around lol
The problem with certificates showing you are HIV negative is that if you have a certificate saying you where tested on the 1st of may that only proves that you where probably negative on the 1st of march they don't know what happened in the 3 months between and although the test said you are negative you could actually be infective. However all blood products are tested and there is such a large risk now from the straight community saying there would be a 60% increase in HIV contaminated blood if gay men where donors would only be true if only gay men donated they don't look at the fact that only a percentage of gay men would donate and of those only a small percentage could be HIV positive
As for lesbiens
You are the chosen ones you don't statistally present as a risk factor at all in HIV transmission unless you are injecting drugs. arn't you the lucky ones.
Honestly I tell ya am gonna use these stats 4 recruiting during queer week "come on ladies, ur pretty much safe from HIV, wont get pregnant n can have 13hour sex sessions cos fingers r always stiff... any woman can be a lesbian, lesbian..."
Does any1 know How much blood can the blood service legally & safely take out of u when u donate? howmuch do they take out when u donate? & can they take more if u beg them 2 take more out?
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Nic - Union Council LGBT Assembly Chair
Contact me at - lgbt.assembly@leeds.ac.uk / nicturner_85@hotmail.com
On our Debate Evening during Queer Week (Monday 14th at 7pm in Meeting Room 1) we'll be discussing the blood donor ban! so come along!
One thing that really upsets me about this is that it presumes all gay men sleep around. Or don't practice safe sex.
And even if a gay men had sex with another man before 1977 (ie, the year AIDS emerged) and hasn't had sex with one after that, he STILL isn't allowed to donate blood.
If I was in a monogamous relationship where we practiced safer sex and were tested regularly for STI's, still wouldn't be allowed to give blood.
Whilst their reasoning may seem okay, I think such rules only serve to perpetuate prejudice and the association between Gay men and HIV/AIDS. Not all countries have such rules and we even accept blood from countries whose regualtions on blood donation aren't so strict concerning gay men.
I think we need to encourage the NBS (National Blood Service) to review their policy and take into consideration the myths and stigma that they are perpetuating with such strict (and in many cases absurd) regulations.
There will be a petition on the stall calling for such a review during Queer Week.
Please come and sign it.
Thanks
John K x
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Johnk
The only freedom that you’ll ever really know
Is written in books from long ago
