Self Review on Law against Gays Donating Blood
Law against gays donating blood
I would like for all of you to picture this scenario. You’re a male over the age of 17 and your brother, sister or any loved one for that matter, got into a car crash and is in need of a blood transfusion. The hospital doesn’t have the amount or the blood type that she or he needs, but luckily, you are of the same blood type as your loved one. Your first instinct, I’m sure, would be to donate. They make you fill in a questionnaire to see if you are eligible and one of the questions is, “Male donors: in the last five years have you had sex with a man, even once?” Quite the personal question you might think, but you answer truthfully and say, yes. As soon as you give back the form, they take one look and automatically decline your offer. They haven’t checked your blood for any sort of disease and you sincerely admit to not having one in the questionnaire, yet they still decline. Why? Because you are a man that has been sexually active with another man, within the last five years. Canada, as well as many other countries has a ban on the blood donation of gay men. This ban used to be much more “severe”. Any man that has, had sexual intercourse with another man anytime from 1977 to now could never give blood. Though, recently Héma-Québec lifted this ban to a law of five years. Dana Devine, vice-president of medical scientific says, “This is a very significant change for us.” Canada was the third country in the world to legalize gay marriage in 2005, yet our country refuses the donation of much needed blood from a gay man that’s had sex? Sure this lifting of the ban could be an improvement in a country where gays are frowned upon, but in a country like Canada where gays are very much accepted in our society this is just an improved regression.
In my speech, I will be elaborating on the flaws of this law and how it is not put in place for safety precautions but simply for discriminatory issues. I will then show you how you can help
I would like for all of you to picture this scenario. You’re a male over the age of 17 and your brother, sister or any loved one for that matter, got into a car crash and is in need of a blood transfusion. The hospital doesn’t have the amount or the blood type that she or he needs, but luckily, you are of the same blood type as your loved one. Your first instinct, I’m sure, would be to donate. They make you fill in a questionnaire to see if you are eligible and one of the questions is, “Male donors: in the last five years have you had sex with a man, even once?” Quite the personal question you might think, but you answer truthfully and say, yes. As soon as you give back the form, they take one look and automatically decline your offer. They haven’t checked your blood for any sort of disease and you sincerely admit to not having one in the questionnaire, yet they still decline. Why? Because you are a man that has been sexually active with another man, within the last five years. Canada, as well as many other countries has a ban on the blood donation of gay men. This ban used to be much more “severe”. Any man that has, had sexual intercourse with another man anytime from 1977 to now could never give blood. Though, recently Héma-Québec lifted this ban to a law of five years. Dana Devine, vice-president of medical scientific says, “This is a very significant change for us.” Canada was the third country in the world to legalize gay marriage in 2005, yet our country refuses the donation of much needed blood from a gay man that’s had sex? Sure this lifting of the ban could be an improvement in a country where gays are frowned upon, but in a country like Canada where gays are very much accepted in our society this is just an improved regression.
In my speech, I will be elaborating on the flaws of this law and how it is not put in place for safety precautions but simply for discriminatory issues. I will then show you how you can help