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This is Canada. In 2013.
12 years ago
Blood, it's in you to give.
That is the motto of the Canadian blood services, a government service who collect, screen and distribute blood for all of Canada. As you can imagine, the amount of blood needed for a country like Canada is massive. Especially with our social medicare. Need an operation? Go for it. Get on that waiting list and then BANG! No more appendix.
You'd obviously think that they would want all the blood they can get their hands on, right? WRONG.
Yesterday I went to give blood. I've always wanted to do it, because I know it could save a person's life. I've never been smart enough to weird a scalpel, or work in a lab. Genetics is a fascination, but I could never follow it as a career path. So I felt this is was my duty, as some people feel it's a duty to serve in the military.
The preliminary screening went well, my iron levels were fine. I had my standard runny nose, which I attribute to allergies at this point. I barely get to breath out of both nostrils. My heart beat was a little high, but that was nerves.
I forgot to eat a lot, but the nurse seemed ok with it. She had me fill out a digital questionnaire, and there was the issue. Question number 52.
"Have you as a man had Sex, in any form, with another man?" truthfully, I replied yes. After the test the nurses looked over my answers, I watched her face fall. "you've had Sex with another man?" I knew I was in trouble. "I'm sorry, but at this time you can not ever donate blood. They are working on changing it to 5 years, but right now... Thank you for your interest."
I was devastated. The rest of the day was a dark and gloomy thing, filled with a slight self loathing and a deep wish that I was strait. Maybe then, I wouldn't feel the sting of discrimination.
I'm clean, and I would be happy to prove it. We have tests that rip open cells and scan the DNA for viral sequences that link to HIV, it only takes 26 days after infection for this test to work. Yet I was asked to keep my possibly contaminated blood, and never return, or in three more years when the change occurred.
I'm not staying abstinent for 5 years. I was to feel the rush of orgasm. I want to share in the trusted love making that many couples engage in. Five years just to be stabbed with a needle and have a pint of blood sucked out of me seems... Ridiculous.
As I walked away from the clinic I felt dirty. I felt betrayed by science and I was upset. I've been out of the closet for a while, and usually I've only been faced with support (aside from my mother) but yesterday made me wish I stayed in.
Emotions aside, they have flawed arguments concerning blood born STI's as stated before NAT test are an excellent test. And this policy doesn't apply to promiscuous men and women. As long as a man doesn't pay for Sex or sleep with another man, he's cleaner then me.
In theory I might have HIV, in reality he likely carries it.
I feel like I've rambled on about the topic long enough, so I would like to end this rant with a new slogan for Canadian Blood Services.
Blood; it's in you to discriminate.
That is the motto of the Canadian blood services, a government service who collect, screen and distribute blood for all of Canada. As you can imagine, the amount of blood needed for a country like Canada is massive. Especially with our social medicare. Need an operation? Go for it. Get on that waiting list and then BANG! No more appendix.
You'd obviously think that they would want all the blood they can get their hands on, right? WRONG.
Yesterday I went to give blood. I've always wanted to do it, because I know it could save a person's life. I've never been smart enough to weird a scalpel, or work in a lab. Genetics is a fascination, but I could never follow it as a career path. So I felt this is was my duty, as some people feel it's a duty to serve in the military.
The preliminary screening went well, my iron levels were fine. I had my standard runny nose, which I attribute to allergies at this point. I barely get to breath out of both nostrils. My heart beat was a little high, but that was nerves.
I forgot to eat a lot, but the nurse seemed ok with it. She had me fill out a digital questionnaire, and there was the issue. Question number 52.
"Have you as a man had Sex, in any form, with another man?" truthfully, I replied yes. After the test the nurses looked over my answers, I watched her face fall. "you've had Sex with another man?" I knew I was in trouble. "I'm sorry, but at this time you can not ever donate blood. They are working on changing it to 5 years, but right now... Thank you for your interest."
I was devastated. The rest of the day was a dark and gloomy thing, filled with a slight self loathing and a deep wish that I was strait. Maybe then, I wouldn't feel the sting of discrimination.
I'm clean, and I would be happy to prove it. We have tests that rip open cells and scan the DNA for viral sequences that link to HIV, it only takes 26 days after infection for this test to work. Yet I was asked to keep my possibly contaminated blood, and never return, or in three more years when the change occurred.
I'm not staying abstinent for 5 years. I was to feel the rush of orgasm. I want to share in the trusted love making that many couples engage in. Five years just to be stabbed with a needle and have a pint of blood sucked out of me seems... Ridiculous.
As I walked away from the clinic I felt dirty. I felt betrayed by science and I was upset. I've been out of the closet for a while, and usually I've only been faced with support (aside from my mother) but yesterday made me wish I stayed in.
Emotions aside, they have flawed arguments concerning blood born STI's as stated before NAT test are an excellent test. And this policy doesn't apply to promiscuous men and women. As long as a man doesn't pay for Sex or sleep with another man, he's cleaner then me.
In theory I might have HIV, in reality he likely carries it.
I feel like I've rambled on about the topic long enough, so I would like to end this rant with a new slogan for Canadian Blood Services.
Blood; it's in you to discriminate.
The worst part is that they always check every sample of blood donated for blood-borne diseases anyway.