I agree, most sensible people wouldn't give a shit ...however they sure as hell would want to check if it was riddled with HIV....and that's whether it comes from a gay or straight person. Any blood or organs should be checked regardless.

So...maybe a nurse or Dr on here can tell us why gays are discriminated against on forms when donating?

Yeah good on yer for that actually

That's not what Anne Summer says

I agree.. maybe the donation services could come from the dark ages and realise the world has moved on from 1950....until then.. I will carry on lying.. giving blood and organs is more important than some idiots view point

See how long we last this time

It's all on commission

But why would you lie? Two wrongs don't make a right surely?

Unless there is a genuine reason for discriminating between donors, then I agree the bloody transfusion service needs to update it's application process.

However why do you feel the need to lie? Why not state you are gay? Surely you are not ashamed, so why lie about it?

LOL

If I state I am gay, I can not donate.. simple as that

There is nothing to be ashamed about, however a lot of people have preconcieved ideas what gayers are. personally the fact I have sex with a man is no big issue, but some people only focus on this, and not the other 99% of me.

I nearly got turned down because i answered yes to the question "have you ever had sex in Africa?"

Yes. I was there on holiday. With my longterm boyfriend. Who I had been with for three years. (and am still with.) It's what people do when they r on holiday together!!FFS

What did they do??. Questioned me.!!!....was I definately 100% sure that HE was faithful to me while we were in Africa? WTF? No chance whatsoever that he could have spent some time apart from me while we were there?

Now, dont get me wrong, I see where they are coming from, particularly as the fastest growing HIV group in the UK is heterosexuals, but bloody hell I was mighty peed off.

Is that because there is no 100% test for HIV?

Either way, I understand why this would piss you off. As you say, straight people can also be a risk. However, if this is the case i.e gay people cannot donate, then why do you deliberately flaunt the rules?

For example, those of us from UK are unable to give blood if we lived in UK between certain dates [see WMoores former post]. So...although it pisses us off, we accept it. Why don't you do the same?

Isn't it more about what's best for the patient .....rather than what's best for us?

The stipulation about gays not being able to donate blood is historical. It started about the same time that HIV was recognised, which was also when it wasn't recognised that heterosexual sex could also pass it on, only that gay sex could. I agree that the rules need to be changed, but as they HIV test all blood samples anyway, they should have the stipulation that if you have had unprotected sex with anyone new in the last 6 months, you can't give blood.

this has nothing to do with whats good for the patient, its about discrimintation.

I know I am 100% free of HIV, (its part of the medical)..so why shouldnt I give blood or donate organs?

Given the info re HIV and gays is now outdated, why haven't Gay rights activists or HIV activists not campaigned against this outdated rule?

Surely it is discriminatory besides which, it surely lowers the volume of potential donors available?

people are campaigning against this, howeve in the UK ( not sure whats happening over here) the blood transfussion people are set in stone... ignorance..