BushOut06
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Wed May-09-07 01:17 PM
Original message |
My recent trip to give blood |
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I try to give blood as often as I can, since I know how important it is. Imagine my dismay when I'm laying there with the needle in my arm, and the TV is tuned into Faux News. I probably got more Faux exposure during in this one sitting than I've gotten all year long. Holy shit, those people are insipid! I really don't see how anyone can watch that shit on a regular basis.
Another thing that really struck me was filling out the pre-questionaire. I find it quite offensive that they ask men if they've ever had sexual contact with another man since 1977. Yet another question simply asks if you've had sexual contact in the past 12 months with someone who is HIV+. How fucking insulting is that - you can have sex with someone who is HIV+, and a year later you're ok. But any homosexual contact, sorry pal.
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ThomCat
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Wed May-09-07 01:24 PM
Response to Original message |
1. You're right. It's blatantly homophobic. |
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It was standard public policy to blame gay men for the existance of AIDS. x( It probably still is.
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WindRavenX
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Wed May-09-07 01:24 PM
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2. Well, you're wrong on the one part: |
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Edited on Wed May-09-07 01:25 PM by WindRavenX
If you've sex with someone who is HIV+, you won't be allowed to give blood, period, gay or straight.
edit: Now the highest rates of transmittion aren't even among gay men. The policy is outdated and now is now rather worthless.
But yeah, it is homophobic.
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BushOut06
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Wed May-09-07 01:30 PM
Response to Reply #2 |
4. Not necessarily, according to the questionaire I filled out |
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It only asked if you've had sex with someone who is HIV+ within the past 12 months. 12 months was the usual time frame given for most of the questions. So if I had sex with someone HIV+ two years ago, I could have answered "no" to that question in good faith, and unless they specifically asked me afterwards, they wouldn't know.
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WindRavenX
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Wed May-09-07 01:33 PM
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5. not the questionaire I was given |
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I had "if you are male and have had sexual contact with another male..." "if you have had sexual contact with someone who is HIV+".
I don't think there was a time period on that last one.
Either way, all blood is screen for HIV. Many of my gay friends who know they are not HIV+ donate blood and they've never had a problem.
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chaplainM
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Wed May-09-07 02:14 PM
Response to Reply #5 |
19. Screening is for antibodies |
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A donor who was recently infected might not yet have produced antibodies, yet have HIV in his blood.
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BushOut06
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Wed May-09-07 01:40 PM
Response to Reply #2 |
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Edited on Wed May-09-07 01:41 PM by BushOut06
n/t
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lokione
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Wed May-09-07 01:29 PM
Response to Original message |
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You can request that the tv be turned off or onto another station. I do it often. I get shocked looks from the post office, and Dr's office, but so what? I complain about fox news whenever it is on. If I'm a customer, I will get my wish honored, or I leave. Make sure you're willing to leave if you face Resistance. It's not worth a big scene, but why patronize an insulting Blood Bank?
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Kelly Rupert
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Wed May-09-07 01:34 PM
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6. So ask them to change the channel. |
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And if others are enjoying it, just put up with it. You're not there to change minds, you're there to save a life.
(The ban on gay men is ridiculous. It was instituted back when it was a "gay" disease, and there's never been strong pressure to change it.)
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BushOut06
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Wed May-09-07 01:44 PM
Response to Reply #6 |
10. Oh, but it was sooooo fascinating |
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There was a darling little story about some golden retriever who helped save a toddler who wandered from his house. They even did a live "interview" with the family, including the kid and dog.
At least it wasn't Hannity, Coulter, or any of their politically driven shows.
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Kelly Rupert
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Wed May-09-07 01:35 PM
Response to Original message |
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Edited on Wed May-09-07 01:38 PM by Kelly Rupert
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wakeme2008
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Wed May-09-07 01:44 PM
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9. I would tell them no Blood until they replace Fox News with ESPN |
Kelly Rupert
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Wed May-09-07 01:55 PM
Response to Reply #9 |
12. No Blood until Oilers? n/t |
SheilaT
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Wed May-09-07 01:48 PM
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11. The other thing to think about |
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is why so many places, like the blood donation site, consider it necessary to have a TV turned on nonstop during business hours, no matter what the channel it's tuned to. What ever happened to sitting quietly and reading? Why not play classical music, if there's a need to have background noise?
I frequently ask to have a channel changed, if it's on FOX, or turned off completely. If I'm the only one in a particular waiting room I always turn off the TV. I always carry a book or two with me to read during waiting times.
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Prophet 451
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Wed May-09-07 03:23 PM
Response to Reply #11 |
23. There is a need for some background noise |
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I actually asked this one when I went to donate once and was told that it's to cover the noise from the refrigeration units the blood is stored in and to make it difficult to overhear anyone discussing their medical details with the nurse.
I usually donate at the local university so usually, we have the campus radio station.
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ComerPerro
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Wed May-09-07 01:58 PM
Response to Original message |
13. I always hated that part. For one thing, what if you know your partner is clean? |
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And I realize that people say homosexuals are at high risk of AIDS and HIV. But so are heterosexuals. So I didn't have sex with a man lately. But they don't ask me if I solicited a prostitute....
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eyesroll
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Wed May-09-07 02:02 PM
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14. They ask about prostitution, at least at our local center....but otherwise, yeah, it's stupid. |
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I, as a female, could have unprotected sex with a different man every night for a year, and so long as I never ask them whether they're HIV+, bisexual, IV drug users, etc., I can give blood freely.
Yet two men who've been in a monogamous relationship since the 60s can't.
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Kelly Rupert
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Wed May-09-07 02:02 PM
Response to Reply #13 |
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If you've had sex with a prostitute in 12mos, or have ever been a prostitute, you can't give.
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ComerPerro
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Wed May-09-07 02:03 PM
Response to Reply #15 |
16. the times I have donated blood they have not, oddly enough |
Kelly Rupert
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Wed May-09-07 02:06 PM
Response to Reply #16 |
17. How odd. It's on the FDA list |
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of questions that must be asked. They specifically ban "men who have had sex with another man even one time since 1977," "men and women who have engaged in sex for money or for drugs since 1977," and "persons who have had sex with any person meeting (these) descriptions during the preceding 12 months"http://www.fda.gov/cber/faq/bldfaq.htm
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BushOut06
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Wed May-09-07 02:13 PM
Response to Reply #17 |
18. At least we can take comfort knowing that Jeff Gannon can't donate blood |
Kelly Rupert
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Wed May-09-07 02:14 PM
Response to Reply #18 |
20. The non-answer in the link |
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I just provided to the "Well, I'm gay, why can't I donate?" question is hilarious, in a depressing, black way.
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Mugu
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Wed May-09-07 02:28 PM
Response to Original message |
21. Maybe they just want to get your blood pressure up. |
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So you will fill the bag faster and they don't need as many cots. :evilgrin:
Regards, Mugu
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Lost-in-FL
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Wed May-09-07 02:33 PM
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22. Don't they test the blood for HIV+ ? why ask such idiotic questions?? |
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I can see why you think they are insulting to you but to me, I really don't think the questions are offensive but that they show the level of ignorance of in that clinic. To me, that is a big red flag. They probably don't even know how to handle the blood properly. Imagine someone is in need of blood and these clowns are running this clinic!! Scarry!!!
What if you answer that you do not have HIV when in fact you do? Do they just take people words for it? Gimme a break! Why if some creep decides to donate his/her infected blood to commit a crime?
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Prophet 451
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Wed May-09-07 03:34 PM
Response to Reply #22 |
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A small sample of blood from every bag is routinely tested for virtually every disease known to man (including all the Ebola variants!). Here, you have to be registered to give blood (although you can register on the day and it only takes two minutes) so every sample is numbered and connected to you and if the tests spot an "anomoly", you get a polite little letter through the post. This actually happened to a friend of mine (for something far less serious than HIV).
The policy isn't set by the clinic, it's set by the FDA (or the NHS in this country). It was originally put on the books back when HIV/AIDS was considered a "gay disease" and there's never been enough of an outcry to get it changed. I just ignore it and write the occasional nasty letter.
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Prophet 451
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Wed May-09-07 03:29 PM
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Ignore it.
Seriously. I've been a blood donor for 12 years, I've been bisexual my whole life. The blood is routinely tested for every disease on the f'ing planet anyway. The way it's done here is that when you sit down, you're given a little plastic sheet which says you can't give blood if you are one of these people and gives a list and, in some cases, time limits. You can't give blood for six months after having a tattoo, six months after giving birth and so on but if you've ever had sex with another man (no dates on our version), you can never give blood.
I know for a fact I'm clean so I settle for just ignoring it and occasionally writing nasty letters to the British Donor service.
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