Gay blood donors?

[Cream Soda]

I'm not gay myself or anything, but I'm just curious as to if gays can give blood. I've given blood 8 times now and every time they ask if I've had sex with another male even once.

[Blarg]

lol

[Qalbert]

NO CUZ GAY BLOOD MAKES YOU GAY AND KILLS KITTENS
/sarcasm

[Samu]

Just wow...

[jmc]

Shouldn't make a difference if someone is gay or not.

I give blood every 3 months at work (each time you donate blood, you get a 1/2 day off called a blood day lol)

and never once was I asked if I had intercourse with another man.

[Blackmagik]

Shouldn't make a difference if someone is gay or not.

I give blood every 3 months at work (each time you donate blood, you get a 1/2 day off called a blood day lol)

and never once was I asked if I had intercourse with another man.

In Canada, well at least where i live they ask, but i assume they will then ask if it was unprotected and so fourth, as they want to make sure no STD-infected blood is given to someone. They would i assume then ask if they are infected with an std if you did bareback it, or had various other sexual partners that you dont know if those are infected or not.

[Colm]

Nope. =\ Those who have sex with men are placed on "deferral", meaning they can't give blood at the time. However, for the gays, it's an infinite period.

It's the same thing in Canada. If you go in, they ask if you've had sex with another male once in the past 20 years. It's unfortunate, because I've considered donating blood, but can't. Oh well. =\

[Cream Soda]

I think that's retarded. Its not like they don't test the blood before pumping it in someone.

[Kiro]

Nice, I can't donate blood? Oh well.

How about sperm? :>

[SephYuyX]

Gays have aids.

[melbufrauma]

its infected with AIDS

[Ryany]

Shouldn't make a difference if someone is gay or not.

Maybe not directly, but indirectly it does.

I think I remember reading somewhere that gay men have a drastic difference in the number of sexual partners compared to heterosexual men/women. I still don't understand why they can't just ask "how many sexual partners have you had in the last year?" and avoid any crying. I would feel it would be safe to assume that someone that was gay that only sleeps with 1 person would be a safer bet of being clean than some straight person that has slept with 20 partners in the last year.

[Tsuko_Asura]

I don't know where you people have been giving blood, but I've never had an issue, nor have I lied about my sexual activity. They may very well be throwing my blood away when I leave, but they're certainly not refusing to draw it from my arm.

[jmc]

Someone could go out and fuck 20 guys in a month

Someone else can go out and fuck 20 woman in a month

1 of the guys had some STD... we will say aids.

1 of the girls, had aids as well.

The guy who had sex with a aids infected guy, cannot give blood because of his sexual choice

however

the other guy who had sex with a aids infected girl can give blood?

They test the blood for disease anyways.... I still dont get the point in "banning" gays from donating blood.

[SephYuyX]

Maybe gays are more likely not to use condoms and have a higher risk of getting/spreading.

[Fistandantilus]

Even if Gays had a higher percentage of STD's I don't understand the problem really, if they test it for disease before giving it to patients anyway what is the issue? The only problem I could see if testing blood is extremely expensive and the higher percentage of blood that is infected makes it not worth taking or something.

[miokomioko]

It's obviously a risk thing based on a stereotype, but that's pretty ridiculous that they are trying to "play it safe" and stop it right there by denying donations entirely based on sexual preference. As if they don't trust their own disease screening process post-donation. There must not be a big demand for blood? Either way that's pretty fucked up, I'm suprised this hasn't hit the news in a big way.

also: I heard gay blood transfusions turn you gay.

[Cream Soda]

They also ask if I've ever been to africa or had sex with anyone from africa

[jmc]

Even if Gays had a higher percentage of STD's I don't understand the problem really, if they test it for disease before giving it to patients anyway what is the issue? The only problem I could see if testing blood is extremely expensive and the higher percentage of blood that is infected makes it not worth taking or something.

I would hope.... they are required to test all blood they recieve no matter what anyways. I see things all the time saying there is a blood shortage, so I hope testing isnt the issue

[EternityEnd]

Uhh I would say, if anything, gay people have a much higher chance of using a condom.