Trying to combat a discriminatory policy, unsure where to go from here

[Bowyn Aerrow]

Actually, I have a question for you Bowyn. As I mentioned earlier in this thread, a straight man (or woman) can have heterosexual sex with someone who they know has AIDs and in one year be eligible to donate blood again. Do you agree that under the current regulations this should be changed so that anyone who has sex with someone who definitely has AIDs is banned from blood donation for life, just like any man who has sex with another man? If so then we are at least on the same page in terms of fairness, and it is evident that you simply don't want to take any risks with AIDs (which given your experiences is perfectly understandable). If not, why do you think it's okay to give a lifetime ban to someone who has sex with someone who might have AIDs and not do the same thing for someone who has sex with someone who definitely has AIDs?

Actually I think anyone who may be carrying a blood born disease along the lines of HIV or who has put themselves at risk (such as having sex with pos people, or needle use) should be banned from the blood donation program.

For life? Ideally no, I would like to believe that we can do this as case by case basis, but I'm a realist and understand that that is not a practical way to do things. Blood Donation is already pretty expensive with all of the bags, needles and training of people to make certain as few people as possible don't get killed in the process of donation.

Ideally I wish there was a cure for the HIV and we didn't have to face it as a potential problem. Ideally I wish no one needed a blood transfusion ever.

I'm a gay man, and I used to donate blood all the time way back before the dark days set in. I am also a person with an IV needle drug use. While I know that I am HIV neg and I know that I have only had 8 sex partners who possibly could have passed on HIV. And while I know I never shared a needle with anyone - it is still reasonable in my mind to ban me from the blood donation program because no one else knows what I know and frankly I know one can't trust a human to be truthful on such matters.