Do you think gay men should have the equal blood donation rights?

I think the rule is very outdated and should go away because all blood is tested now. Having said that here in the USA, any man who has had sex with another man even once since 1977, is prohibited for giving blood for life. This law was put in place in the 1980s before they knew the cause of HIV. At the time it was almost exclusively gay people getting HIV, and it was almost always a death sentence. the law was put in place because people were scared, and didn't know better.

We now know better, and the law should be repealed and allow everyone to donate.

---------- Post added 17th Aug 2014 at 04:43 PM ----------

For what it is worth, I cannot give blood because I was stationed in Germany on a US Army base during 1990. Here is the reason from the Red Cross:

You were a member of the of the U.S. military, a civilian military employee, or a dependent of a member of the U.S. military who spent a total time of 6 months on or associated with a military base in any of the following areas during the specified time frames

From 1980 through 1990 - Belgium, the Netherlands (Holland), or Germany

 

I rather enjoy being able to tell people I'm banned from donating blood. When they ask why, my response is "why do you think?"

 

Even though I'm terrified of needles and wouldn't be able to donate myself due to a panic attack, I think if I ever were to donate I should be allowed to. The Red Cross (or any other national organization) screens all blood anyways before it's approved, so I think the fact that a gay man *might* have HIV or some other bloodborne pathogen should not disqualify him. Straight people may have said pathogen as well and they're allowed to donate, because the blood is screened.

 

I think gay men should have equal blood donation rights . Anyone can get aids not lonely gay men .

 

That's the cutest mistype I've seen all day. (If it was a mistype)

As for the topic, I didn't know gay men were banned from it in some countries, and I think it's complete bollocks.

Of course gay men should be able to donate blood!

 

Lol why thank you

 

Um, yeah, of course. That is to say that everyone should be tested for HIV previous to the blood giving, and not just gay people :dry:.

 

I must admit it seems a little strange to me that you would ask this on a forum dedicated to LGBT issues I think you already know the answers people will give.