It is not a secret that there is a discriminatory attitude held towards those of the LGBTTQ* community, especially when it comes to the topic of the spread of HIV. In Canada, there is currently a blood ban put on men who have sex with men (MSM), including gay and bisexual men. According to Canadian Blood Services (2011), “Canadian public health data show that the MSM category is the highest risk for new HIV/AIDS cases”. While the ban currently does not permit the MSM category from ever being able to donating blood, the Canadian Blood Services has opened the policy for re‑examination. Canadian Blood Services aim would be to decrease the policy from being a permanent ban to less than 10 years but more than five years, any changes to this policy would need to be approved by Health Canada (Canadian Blood Services, 2011).
It can be argued however that the time length of the ban is not the problem with the policy. If a man who is sexually promiscuous with women does not use protection is he more of an ideal blood donor than two gay men who are in a monogamous relationship? According to Lovell and Rosenberg (2011), when the disease initially started to spread across North America it so strongly affected the gay community that it held the label of GRID, Gay Related Immune Disease (p. 111). The blood ban incorrectly places the risk of the spread of HIV on the sexual orientation, instead of the sexual behaviour. We live in an advanced world where latex condoms are proven to protect against HIV. So if a man choses to have protected sex with other men he has taken the same, necessary steps to avoid the risk of transmission as a heterosexual male who has also chosen to use a latex condom.
By placing a blood ban on the MSM community and women who have had sex with someone from the MSM community, society has placed an unrealistic sense of security for those who identify as “straight” or heterosexual. HIV can and is contracted by heterosexual people. As stated by Nester, Anderson, Roberts, and Nester (2009), “heterosexual spread of HIV is increasing and promises to become the dominant mode of transmission”(p. 705). Is it important to have polices that take precautions so that HIV does not get passed through a blood transfusion? Of course it is important, in fact, every blood donation is tested for HIV (Canadian Blood Services, 2011). However, let us put in place a policy that puts the risk of transmission on sexual behaviour, not on sexual orientation.
-Katelyn
References
Canadian Blood Services. (2011). Canadian Blood Services policy on excluding men who have had sex with men (MSM) from donating blood. Retrieved from http://www.blood.ca
Canadian Blood Services. (2011). HIV and AIDS. Retrieved from http://www.blood.ca
Lovell, S.A., & Rosenberg, M.W. (2009). Community capacity amongst people living with HIV/AIDS. Geojournal, 76, 111-121. doi: 10.1007/s10708-009-9289-2
Nester, E.W., Anderson, D.G., Roberts, C.E., & Nester, M.T. (2009). Microbiology: a human perspective (6th ed). New York: McGraw-Hill
This is a shocking post, its ridiculous to assume all gay men carry HIV/AIDS, especially from an organization that needs all the donors it can get. I agree for there to be "a policy that puts the risk of transmission on sexual behaviour, not on sexual orientation." Good blog post Katelyn, very interesting.
ReplyDelete-Chandra B
Great Post!
ReplyDeleteI've definitely heard of this before. It is absolutely appalling what they're saying. It has nothing to do with your sexual orientation. If you sleep around, you will be more likely to receive HIV/AIDS. It almost feels as though they need someone to blame, and gay men seemed an okay target. How ridiculous.
Belinda
I agree with Chandra, this is a shocking post but unfortunately our gay population is still stigmatized. I always thought heterosexual people had the higest number of HIV/AIDS cases? Either way, it is ridiculous to assume all gay men are carriers of the virus. What Belinda said is so true, "if you sleep around, you will be more likely to receive HIV/AIDS". I don't see people being questioned on the number of sexual partners they've had before they can give blood. It's appalling that these men are being subjected to such ignorance. Very interesting post!
ReplyDeleteShauna Richardson
This blog was definitely eye opening! I never knew this and I find it very upsetting. This is another example of the institutionalisation of heterosexuality. These individuals are trying to do something wonderful by giving blood to save lives and it's sad to see they are being stigmatised.
ReplyDelete-Brigitte
I knew that the spread of HVI started in the gay community but I had no idea that they went so far as to ban the gay community to donate blood! I don't know what to say about this at all. Its very upsetting knowing people would do such a thing, knowing that the heterosexual people can get it too.
ReplyDeleteEye opening post! Awesome job!
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Canadian Blood Services puts out all this stuff saying they are so desperate for blood and stuff, and then they go and turn away every gay man. Its ridiculous to think that all these people must have AIDS just because their gay, anyone in the world can have AIDS. I'm so shocked reading this, I had no idea!
ReplyDeleteVery good post!
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