Scott Kerpen examines current legislation surrounding blood donation
Despite blood shortages, current legislation in the UK prevents men who have had sex with other men within the last 12 months (whether protected or not) from donating blood. Current laws even prevent women who have had sex with such men within a 12-month period from donating blood too, out of fear of the potential HIV contamination, and for the alleged safety of those receiving it.
You could assume, then, that homosexual encounters carry an extra risk that needs to be taken into account by having such preventative measures in place, but is this really the case?
It is true that homosexual men represent a proportionally higher risk group, but this increased risk is primarily due to particular sexual activities ÔÇô activities that many members of the heterosexual community also engage in. Even if you are heterosexual and havenÔÇÖt engaged in anal sex, then it is highly likely that you will have had sex with someone who has.
The idea that people would know the intricate details of all of their partnersÔÇÖ sexual encounters and past experiences seems absurd, considering the power that sexual norms and taboos have on individuals, and the way that these make people hide and lie about their sexual habits and pasts.
[pullquote]People do not catch HIV because they are gay or bisexual[/pullquote]
It should also be considered that gay men are not the only high-risk groups within society. Take Black Africans for instance. Statistics show that Black Africans are another high-risk group for HIV, but current legislation does not screen race and ethnicity in the same way as it does sexuality.
People do not catch HIV because they are gay or bisexual or because they have had sex with someone who is gay or bisexual. They do not catch HIV because they are black. They catch HIV because they fail to use adequate protection against it or because of very unfortunate accidents such as condoms splitting in few cases.
It seems alarming, then, that the actual most probable cause of infection (unprotected sex) isnÔÇÖt taken into account by the current guidelines. If you are a sexually active heterosexual who doesnÔÇÖt use protection, you are still able to donate blood (unless such activity occurs in a part of the world where AIDS/HIV is very common). This seriously brings into questions any claims that such legislation is for safety.
I am not suggesting that anyone and everyone should necessarily be allowed to give blood, but I am suggesting that if certain people or groups are going to be excluded from donating on the basis of safety, then the government needs to seriously reconsider others who represent high risks and actually put some screening processes in place that restrict them.
If this isnÔÇÖt plausible, then why not amend current legislation so that gay and bisexual men can also engage in sexually irresponsible and careless behaviours and be allowed to give blood?