Homophobia: A Threat to National Security and National Health

Nothing more needs to be said about this one: Military Discharges Gay Arabic Linguists

This one is just plain stupid: Ban Kept for Gay Men Donating Blood. When all was mystery, back in 1983, when there was no test for HIV, it made sense to be super-conservative (in the medical, epidemiological sense) regarding blood donations from gay men. But now? Rapid testing for HIV exists, and conclusive (the estimated chance of false negatives is 1 per 2 million) testing for HIV in 10 to 21 days exists. Safer sex is a cultural phenomenon. Gay men can get officially married (in MA, at least). The Red Cross and two other blood collection groups have dismissed the FDA's policy as “medically and scientifically unwarranted”. Yet the FDA leaves the ban in place. Do most today even remember the wording of the question which permanently bans a gay man from donating blood? “Have you had sex, even once, with a man since 1977?”

It's not only archaic, but reprehensible. It's not only offensive, it's illogical: closeted gay men, especially those who are married (to women) and get gay sex on the “down low” are more likely to lie in answering the question, making it more likely that HIV+ donators slip through.

No one wants other people infected, even if it's through carelessness or even disregard. That's a given. Only the inhuman would want that.

But this is a policy which relies on the openness of gay men to be effective, which oddly also eliminates the truthful ones who live in the light and not on the down low.

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