Why Can't Gay Men.....?

Question

Today there was a blood drive and a close friend of mine was not able to donate because he's gay. I notice they only ask about Gay men they don't ask if you're a lesbian. They say it's a AIDS risk, but isn't it true that not all Gay men have AIDS? So, how it is that women & men that are straight but yet they have many sex partners are a risk for AIDS but are able to donate blood? Please no hateful or rude comments or you will be reported...

Answer 1

anal sex is considered "risk behavior" for AIDS and STDS because it spreads viral spores so quickly. So even if Mr. Random Gay Dude is HIV-neg. and clean, and wants to donate, he is still considered "at risk" by the CDC authority for having anal sex...crazy hmm?
to quote one of my favorite bands, a gay rock band, Pansy Division, "seems so strange that they should care/if you stick a (bleep) up there"...LOL.

Answer 2

It's based on outdated information from the 80's when pretty much all they knew about AIDS is that it was common (then) in the gay community (which is the case, incidentally, because that's how it entered this country. No other reason.) When called on it, they say it would cost too much to do another study, but I THINK there's been some progress internationally. It's stupid because the people who are hurting are the people who need my O- blood but can't have it.

For love2havefun: the highest risk group for HIV contraction in most places is now IV drug users. That MIGHT change depending on your locality, but gay men aren't necessarily the highest risk group that you think they are. And, even if they were, we KNOW what the window period is now. If a guy's been celibate for a year, and has been tested recently, there's nothing going to be wrong with his blood.

I wanted to further add to the people who are surprised by this: this is not a local incident that only some people do. The Red Cross / Red Crescent has that criteria in every country where they deal with blood drives. Furthermore, the question asked women is whether or not they have had sex - don't remember if it specifies unprotected or not - in the last 6 months. So, straight women are going to be safe once the window period is over, but gay blood is always going to be gay blood. Kinda like how they dealt with black blood when they first started the procedure...

Answer 3

I tried to donate when the red cross brought the blood bus to our plaza. I had heard somewhere that gay guys cant donate. I went on the bus, sat down, and asked the girl straight out. "Can I donate if Im gay?" She told me she couldnt answer that question out in the open so I had to answer all the questions. I then went into the little telephone booth sized thingie and she was goin down the paper and saw that I had marked no to the gay question. (The question stated "Since 1977, Have you ever had sex with another man?") Well, I was gay but I hadnt had sex yet. She said she overheard me saying I was gay and couldnt take my blood. I was pissed. She then went into detail about how men have sex and what happens when they do and thats why I cant donate. Apparently the penetration that happens when "two men is what spreads aids. Lesbians use forms of penetration but not with another body part". So, I was a smartass back to her and said "what about the tongue??" Exchange of bodily fluids..hello! Long story short...i know.. too late...I dont know why. Its not fair. Im not infected because I still havent slept with any guys or girls but they refuse to take me. I tried again a lil later and the woman said there is a message on my name on her computer that I cant donate ever. What the crap??? If anyone finds out why...let me know pls.

Answer 4

The American Red Cross can't take gay blood because it will make all the straight blood in their refrigerators feel less fabulous... Seriously though, they cannot take the blood of homosexual males due the slight possibility that they will screen the blood and get a false negative. This will then go into the pool for transfusion recipients and unfortunately infect that person. The false negative is rare, but homosexuals will increase that risk because of our tendency (yes, it's a stereotype, and I'm sorry that's how they view us) to be promiscuious, we might infect ourselves on a prior sexual experience, and give a negative reading at the time of donation. Essentially, the Red Cross was trying to minimize the amount of people whose blood gets rejected, and we unfortunately filll in that niche.

Answer 5

Your friend was correct. Gay men are not permitted to donate blood. Here are the HIV disqualifiers from the American Red Cross that prevent gay men from donating:



You should not give blood if you have AIDS or have ever had a positive HIV test, or if you have done something that puts you at risk for becoming infected with HIV.

You are at risk for getting infected if you:

* have ever used needles to take drugs, steroids, or anything not prescribed by your doctor
* are a male who has had sexual contact with another male, even once, since 1977
* have ever taken money, drugs or other payment for sex since 1977
* have had sexual contact in the past 12 months with anyone described above
* received clotting factor concentrates for a bleeding disorder such as hemophilia
* were born in, or lived in, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea,Gabon, Niger, or Nigeria, since 1977.
* since 1977, received a blood transfusion or medical treatment with a blood product in any of these countries, or
* had sex with anyone who, since 1977, was born in or lived in any of these countries. Learn more about HIV Group O, and the specific African countries where it is found.

Answer 6

I don't know where that happened, but I think I would report it! That's bull! Gay men can donate blood! All blood is screened anyway for HIV, no matter who it comes from. Seriously, I would contact someone about this. That is truly sick that they would deny someone to give blood simply because they're gay, (There are plenty of straight people with AIDS too!) which means they are denying someone out there that could have used that blood. I'm so sorry that your friend has to face that kind of ignorance. I'm sure he is smart enough to know not all of us straight people are that backwards and ignorant, but pass along my apologies anyway!

Answer 7

I think this rule is a little antiquated. But it comes from a time when most AIDS cases came from gay men. While today most probably come from infected needle users, Gay men are still a high incidence group, and they are eliminated from the blood draw process as much for the perception of keeping blood HIV free as for the reality of it.

Answer 8

Sounds like someone at the American Red Cross was being very discriminatory to me(Blood is screened anyway! That was some foul **** that happened! As bad as folks need blood, too!). Sorry that happened to your friend. Anyone is at risk for STDs including HIV and AIDS if you don't protect yourself. Tell your friend don't worry, and report this incident at once!

Answer 9

The American Red cross is terrible...

Besides the prejudices against gay people, They also denied supplies to a group of people who wanted to help Katrina victims. It is all about blood and money, welcome to America... Home of the free, land of the lame.

All blood should be accepted and screened. By eliminating homosexuals, they are denying blood that could save millions of lives. They simply think all gay people have a huge risk of HIV simply because of the method of sex they use... Yet straight people have aids, now more than ever.

To them it is less blood to screen, and less of a hassle to others.


Welcome to America...

Answer 10

That sounds like discrimination. It upsets me but if I let everytime I am discriminated against bother me I'd be on medication and in an institution. I am gay and I have given blood many times. Just tell him if wants to still help to go somewhere else:) And there are many ways to help besides giving blood.