Comments on: Canadian gay man admits lying to donate blood

By: RobN

RobN — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 23:10:02 +0000

Pumpkin: You’re a f_ckwit. Safe sex is having a wank. The rest is safer. There is always a risk, and gay men’s risks are higher than most. It is a known statistic that over half of HIV+ gay men don’t even know they are infected. By lying about your sexuality, you are also potentially unknowingly lying about your HIV status. If that isn’t irresponsible, I don’t know what is.

By: Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:48:43 +0000

I fully support lying about your sexuality in order to give blood. All potential gay blood donors should do it. Lying about having safe sex, however, is highly irresponsible.

By: Jules

Jules — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:33:14 +0000

What a vain person. Why must he give blood? If he wants to be kind, there is a lot to do apart from donating blood. He just validates the ban- had STD, It was only lucky that it was not AIDS

By: RobN

RobN — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:06:59 +0000

Mithos: Yes, but a higher proportion of gay men than straight ones are HIV+. Fact. Live with it.
You arguing the equality, not the sensible approach.

European straights don’t contract it so easily as they have fewer sexual partners, and don’t generally practice high-risk anal sex. Plus they tend to use condoms for contraceptive purposes anyway.

By: Mithos

Mithos — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:07:42 +0000

“This isn’t homophobia, this is just simple common sense”

Actually I think your find its common bigotry. SOME gay men sleep around, SOME gay men are higher risk. Exactly the same will apply to SOME straight people.

By: RobN

RobN — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:40:06 +0000

Simon: “The lifetime ban on gay men is unsustainable when you consider the double standard being applied to different high risk groups.”

I totally agree. Ban the lot for life. It’s the only practical solution.

By: RobN

RobN — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:38:37 +0000

It totally demonstrates why this ban is in place: The man was still having unsafe sex, and it was more by sheer luck he wasn’t HIV+

We have seen infected blood pass screening before, so we HAVE to be picky. OK, so many of us may be totally infection-free, but gay men are notoriously promiscuous, and more likely to become infected than any other social group. This isn’t homophobia, this is just simple common sense. The usual bunch of lefties witter on about the equality, which is all they are really concerned about, and probably wouldn’t give a toss about giving blood if it wasn’t a gay issue.

By: James

James — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:44:21 +0000

Shame he had to go and get syphilis. Indicates that his sexual practices were perhaps riskier than he imagined and rather blows a hole in the argument that he was a desirable blood donor.

This is a shame, because it surely is time for gay men to be allowed to donate blood in certain circumstances – but it feels like this guy provides plenty of ammunition for those who want to keep the ban.

By: Simon Murphy

Simon Murphy — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:25:49 +0000

There is not the same bar on donating blood for people who have had sex with people from sub-Saharan Africa. There is a 12 month waiting period after which time it is OK.

People from sub-Saharan Africa are at least as likely as gay men to be positive. The lifetime ban on gay men is unsustainable when you consider the double standard being applied to different high risk groups.

By: Rich

Rich — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:50:52 +0000

I think all gay men who would like to give blood should be given the opportunity to do so. If there is a problem with their blood for whatever reason then it does not have to used and the gay blood dona can then get whatever is wrong fixed, so it works well in many ways.

By: Dionysian

Dionysian — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:31:37 +0000

What about men who have unprotected sex with prostitutes? What about the men/women who end up in bed with a different partner every Saturday night and think condoms spoil the moment? I'm in a monogamous (as far as I'm aware) same-sex relationship but we have both been for tests for all STIs and will continue to do so. It is my experience that same-sex partners (M/M or F/F) are more likely to go out and give a few drops of the claret twice a year at somewhere like Terrence Higgins in order know they are not putting their partner at risk than many hetro- people. They are also more likely to have a prophylacitc in their pocket and ACTUALLY USE IT. Time to drop the stigma, people?