3 ms·

Sorry, how?

by voz_ 5y ago

Sorry, how?

elevaet 5y ago
In many jurisdictions homosexual men are barred from donating blood.
VoidWhisperer 5y ago
I think they mean the policy that many blood donation places adhere to that there is a waiting period after the last time a male/male relationship has sex (I think for red cross it is like 3 months) before specifically men who have sex with men can donate. Personally I understand from a medical perspective why this could be a concern and I dont think it is inherently meant to be homophobic
- klyrs 5y ago
  It's a valid concern for everybody, so blood is screened for all sorts of stuff.
  - willcipriano 5y ago
    Someone recently infected with HIV can potentially pass it on to others whilst not being detectably infected. It makes sense to limit those who engage in high risk activities until sufficient time has passed that they will now test positive. The full criteria is here: "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 used needles to take any drugs, steroids, or anything not prescribed by your doctor in the last 3 months are a male who has had sexual contact with another male, in the last 3 months have taken money, drugs or other payment for sex in the last 3 months have had sexual contact in the past 3 months with anyone described above" https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/how-to-donate/eligibility-requirements/eligibility-criteria-alphabetical.html https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/how-to-donate/eli...
    - Avamander 5y ago
      > It makes sense to limit those who engage in high risk activities until sufficient time has passed that they will now test positive. Yeah, but the policy doesn't include straight people, who are by now a higher-risk group. Which shows it's based on prejudice not safety.
      - willcipriano 5y ago
        Not to be gross here but I think a lot of this is lost in conversation because people shy away from the particulars. Vaginal and oral sex are rather ineffective at spreading HIV. There has been a rise in recent decades of HIV in African American women in particular, however it is known that this is due to an increase in that population of unprotected anal sex with a larger number of partners than previously. If they did this simply because they hate gay people why did they not include lesbian women? I'd say a better policy would be excluding those who engage in nonmonogamous anal sex more generally, however I don't think the public has an appetite for that discussion.
        Avamander 5y ago
        > I don't think the public has an appetite for that discussion. Judging by the quick downvote I got, I'd consider you correct.
xxpor 5y ago
Any man who has had sex with another man used to be unable to give blood in the US, due to federal regulations, because of the risk of HIV. The current regulation states: “Defer for 3 months from the most recent sexual contact, a man who has had sex with another man during the past 3 months.” https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/how-to-donate/eligibility-requirements/lgbtq-donors.html https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/how-to-donate/eli...

Sorry, how?

by voz_ 5y ago

Sorry, how?

elevaet 5y ago

In many jurisdictions homosexual men are barred from donating blood.

VoidWhisperer 5y ago

I think they mean the policy that many blood donation places adhere to that there is a waiting period after the last time a male/male relationship has sex (I think for red cross it is like 3 months) before specifically men who have sex with men can donate. Personally I understand from a medical perspective why this could be a concern and I dont think it is inherently meant to be homophobic

klyrs 5y ago
It's a valid concern for everybody, so blood is screened for all sorts of stuff.
- willcipriano 5y ago
  Someone recently infected with HIV can potentially pass it on to others whilst not being detectably infected. It makes sense to limit those who engage in high risk activities until sufficient time has passed that they will now test positive. The full criteria is here: "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 used needles to take any drugs, steroids, or anything not prescribed by your doctor in the last 3 months are a male who has had sexual contact with another male, in the last 3 months have taken money, drugs or other payment for sex in the last 3 months have had sexual contact in the past 3 months with anyone described above" https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/how-to-donate/eligibility-requirements/eligibility-criteria-alphabetical.html https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/how-to-donate/eli...
  - Avamander 5y ago
    > It makes sense to limit those who engage in high risk activities until sufficient time has passed that they will now test positive. Yeah, but the policy doesn't include straight people, who are by now a higher-risk group. Which shows it's based on prejudice not safety.
    - willcipriano 5y ago
      Not to be gross here but I think a lot of this is lost in conversation because people shy away from the particulars. Vaginal and oral sex are rather ineffective at spreading HIV. There has been a rise in recent decades of HIV in African American women in particular, however it is known that this is due to an increase in that population of unprotected anal sex with a larger number of partners than previously. If they did this simply because they hate gay people why did they not include lesbian women? I'd say a better policy would be excluding those who engage in nonmonogamous anal sex more generally, however I don't think the public has an appetite for that discussion.
      - Avamander 5y ago
        > I don't think the public has an appetite for that discussion. Judging by the quick downvote I got, I'd consider you correct.

xxpor 5y ago

Any man who has had sex with another man used to be unable to give blood in the US, due to federal regulations, because of the risk of HIV. The current regulation states: “Defer for 3 months from the most recent sexual contact, a man who has had sex with another man during the past 3 months.” https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/how-to-donate/eligibility-requirements/lgbtq-donors.html https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/how-to-donate/eli...