Gay blood donations ban likely to be lifted in UK

[trashleg]

sapphi_snake said:

Faxanadu said:

I am not homophobic.

I also approve that known drug addicts cannot donate blood due to the same reason. And I do not care if said drug addicts are homosexual or heterosexual.

I really dislike that you are putting your "homosexuals are always discriminated" above the risk of small children being put at greater risk to get HIV via blood infusions.

So being gay is the same as being a drug addict? And heterosexuals don't engage in promiscuous sex? You are aware that the current situation allows for promiscuous heterosexuals, and even heterosexual prostitutes to donate blood, no? All this while homosexuals who don't engage in promiscuous sex are banned, and all because they're gay.

That's not strictly true. EVERYONE who wants to give blood has to complete a questionnaire first which will be read over with you by a nurse before they even let you give a drop of blood. I'm unable to give blood, and it's not because I'm gay or sexually promiscuous (I am neither). It's actually because I'm iron deficient.

But I don't think that my having the same right to donate blood as everyone else is as important as the rights of the people who NEED that blood. They require safe, good blood with no risk of contamination and up until now, the possibility of contamination has always been the reason why homosexual men were not permitted to donate. Thankfully, recent science is proving that the blood is now safe. It's all about science, not equality.

It's not about isolating a group of people, its about protecting those who need the blood.

You can find out more about it here and a copy of the form and its questions are available here.