Thursday, March 4, 2010
Senators: Lift Ban on Gays Donating Blood
As the times are changing and gay marriage is being more socially acceptable in cultures, 18 Democratic Senators around the United States are ready to address another discrimination due to sexual-orientation. Unfortunately, men who have had sex with other men between 1977 and the present are unable to donate blood despite their impeccable health due to the 1983 ban. Blood that is donated goes through a very lengthy scientific testing process and has never proven blood from men who have had sex with other men to be harmful. Gay rights is a very prominent political issue and the abolition of this ban will be another step forward for gay right activists. I understand that during the high risk period of HIV/AIDS this policy was set because of the community belief that gay men were having unprotected sex and continuously spreading the virus. But times have changed and protection as well as awareness is every where. Heterosexuals are just as sexually risky as homosexual males yet they can donate as much blood as they wish. Without any scientific proof, how can a high-tech society like ours, back up this clearly discriminatory ban? Blood banks need donors, and turning away healthy individuals because of their sexual orientation is unconstitutional. My question is will the Republicans jump on the banwagon, haha no pun intended ;), and recognize the constititutional violation or will conservatism once again take over? Where is the FDA on this issue and how has this policy not been addressed until now? Personally, I believe everyone should be able to donate blood and using a silly defense like "I don't want to recieve a transfusion of gay blood" is ignorant. People never know who the donor is, just that they need it to save their lives. When it comes down to saving a life a silly matter like this shouldn't be a factor. Yay for the democrats in moving forward and trying overcome sexual orientation discrimination! What do you think about the issue? Should men who have had sex with another man be allowed to donate blood or is the ban in place for a reason?
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5 comments:
I agree with you on this one. It doesn't make sense that they are just singling out gay men because of the belief that they were more at risk for AIDS then heterosexuals are which is a belief that was prevalent over 20 years ago. As you pointed out many advances in technology and awareness have made HIV/AIDS an issue that can just as easily affect a heterosexual as a homosexual. It just doesn't seem right.
Thanks :) It makes me wonder if some people still have the belief that homosexuality is contagious like they did in the old days. Like having a transfusion of blood from a man who has had sexual relations with another man will turn you gay. Sorry but thats not the way it works and I am happy to see some democratic senators standing up and stating that! The point is with the numerous disasters and everyday illnesses in the world we need all the healthy and viable donors available and turning someone away because of their sexual orientation is a constitutional violation as well as unscientific!
i have to agree to. If a person passes a blood test then it should not matter whether or not they are gay. twenty years ago we knew little bout AIDS and other blood related diseases. There is a lack of donors in this country and with the tehnology we have today then being gay and making a choice to donate blood should be a personal issue
The way I see it, homosexuality and blood donation are two entirely separate issues. Neither issue has any bearing on the other. Sexual orientation does not affect the great demand our country has for blood donations and the need for blood is not about to turn gays straight. What argument could support barring homosexuals from donating blood?
I just feel a need to reiterate what has already been said because I feel that strongly about it. I think any discrimination dealing with sexual preference is an infringement on the belief stated in the Declaration of Independence of 'pursuit of happiness'. It's time that the American government becomes less ignorant and allows its citizens to be who they are. The fact that there is still a homosexual issue is just as ridiculous as the African-American issue/Civil Rights movement or the Woman's rights and suffrage movement was.
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