Should Gay Men in Canada Be Allowed to Give Blood

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Gay Blood is Fabulous Blood In 1982, the first diagnosis of AIDS was recorded in Canada. The first death associated with AIDS occurred the following year. Since 1983, more than 21,000 Canadians have died because of HIV/AIDS. Initially, the disease was associated with gay males, however, it quickly moved into the general population through the blood supply. Due to the majority of those infected with HIV/AIDS are homosexual males, their ability to give blood has been banned for over 30 years (“A Brief History of HIV/AIDS in Canada” 1) The issue of Canadian gay men being allowed to donate blood has been a hot topic for years. Advocacy groups and community members feel this policy promotes discrimination, bigotry, and non – acceptance. Gay men should have the right to donate blood in Canada. Research has shown screening precautions prevent infectious blood submissions to the hospitals. Also, the research shows gay men are only a portion of those infected, and the proportion of HIV infections in Newfoundland and Labrador are so slow the restriction should be lifted. Health Canada recently approved Canadian Blood Services’ submission to change the current MSM (males who’ve had sex with another male) from an indefinite period to a five-year abstinent plan (Branswell, 1) This means, if a man has not had sex with another man in the last five years, he will be able to donate blood. Before this, if a man had sex with another man once since 1977, he was ineligible from giving blood. A committed gay couple cannot give blood, yet a straight man could have unprotected sex with 50 random women is able to donate. The new policy might appear to be step forward for gay rights; however, the policy has not been in effect long enough for statistics to show donor increases. In a report by Canadian Blood Services, they mention Italy and Spain trying a gender-neutral risk

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