Donation Not Discrimination
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Author:
n/a -
Send To:
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT)
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Sponsored By:
Bangor University LGBT Pride Society -
More Info at:
The National Blood Service (NBS) provides a vital supply of blood to save lives. Every 30 seconds, someone in the UK receives blood and each week, 2,000 blood donations are needed. But practicing gay and bisexual men are not allowed to donate. We are campaigning to change this.
Since the early 1980s, the NBS has had a blanket ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men who have had oral or anal sex even with a condom. This is unscientific and unjust, as it is based on the presumption that all men who have sex with men are at high risk for HIV, regardless of their individual sexual behaviour.
After all the progress weve made towards LGBT equality over the last few years, its hard to accept such discrimination and homophobia from an organisation like the National Blood Service. LGBT members of our community are continuing to campaign to change this policy.
We, the undersigned strongly believe that the blanket, and lifetime, ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men should be removed. We believe that discriminating against a group of society based on a stereotype is wrong. Furthermore, the policy of the National Blood Service reinforces the idea that HIV/AIDS is a gay disease.
The current criteria for blood donations centres around perceived risk of an entire group. We are pushing for a system to be implemented based on actual risk. It is wrong to assume that everyone is automatically high-risk and therefore wrong to automatically ban every gay and bisexual man from giving blood.
A man who has had sex with a man once in his life, before the emergence of AIDS, is treated in the same way as someone who has had unprotected sex with multiple partners in the last month. An individuals sexual history is completely ignored. In addition, people who have engaged in unprotected heterosexual sex in high risk areas are free to donate after twelve months.
Other countries, including EU countries subject to the same European legislation as the UK, have already lifted the ban on donations from gay and bisexual men citing epidemiological evidence and discrimination as the primary reasons for this change in policy.
We believe that if the NBS is prepared to change the rules for one group of people to get more donors, as was done in November 2005, when the age limit was increased from 60 to 65, then the rules should be looked at again for gay and bisexual men. We also believe the NBS should reassess their policy to allow healthy gay and bisexual men at low risk to be allowed to donate blood. That includes those in a monogamous relationship and those who have not had sex in a defined period of time.
Since the early 1980s, the NBS has had a blanket ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men who have had oral or anal sex even with a condom. This is unscientific and unjust, as it is based on the presumption that all men who have sex with men are at high risk for HIV, regardless of their individual sexual behaviour.
After all the progress weve made towards LGBT equality over the last few years, its hard to accept such discrimination and homophobia from an organisation like the National Blood Service. LGBT members of our community are continuing to campaign to change this policy.
We, the undersigned strongly believe that the blanket, and lifetime, ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men should be removed. We believe that discriminating against a group of society based on a stereotype is wrong. Furthermore, the policy of the National Blood Service reinforces the idea that HIV/AIDS is a gay disease.
The current criteria for blood donations centres around perceived risk of an entire group. We are pushing for a system to be implemented based on actual risk. It is wrong to assume that everyone is automatically high-risk and therefore wrong to automatically ban every gay and bisexual man from giving blood.
A man who has had sex with a man once in his life, before the emergence of AIDS, is treated in the same way as someone who has had unprotected sex with multiple partners in the last month. An individuals sexual history is completely ignored. In addition, people who have engaged in unprotected heterosexual sex in high risk areas are free to donate after twelve months.
Other countries, including EU countries subject to the same European legislation as the UK, have already lifted the ban on donations from gay and bisexual men citing epidemiological evidence and discrimination as the primary reasons for this change in policy.
We believe that if the NBS is prepared to change the rules for one group of people to get more donors, as was done in November 2005, when the age limit was increased from 60 to 65, then the rules should be looked at again for gay and bisexual men. We also believe the NBS should reassess their policy to allow healthy gay and bisexual men at low risk to be allowed to donate blood. That includes those in a monogamous relationship and those who have not had sex in a defined period of time.
63 Signatures
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Emily Collins
- Comments
- I hope we can get them to change this ban.. good people die because of it! Keep giving blood!
- Willing to give blood?
- Yes
- Full UK Address
- 16 Bron Y De, Bangor, LL57 4TL
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Amy Connolly
- Comments
- if unacceptable to lift the ban, surely a reduction on life is possible
- Willing to give blood?
- yes, but weigh under the limit and aneamic
- Full UK Address
- 10 Farrar Road, Bangor, Gwynedd
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Christine Wenham
- Comments
- В
- Willing to give blood?
- Have previously and plan to again.
- Full UK Address
- 10 Cheviot Rd, Carlisle, CA3 9ED
- Website
- В
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Charlie Parker
- Willing to give blood?
- Not until they allow me!
- Full UK Address
- Cromwell Court KT2 7PY
- Website
- <a href="http://www.kingstonlgbt.co.uk" target="_new">www.kingstonlgbt.co.uk</a>
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ashley-wayne griffiths
- Comments
- all blood gets tested anyway so whats the problem? any one can get hiv!
- Willing to give blood?
- yes if i could
- Full UK Address
- llwyn onn, deiniol road, bangor, gwynedd, ll57 2up
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Pieter Van Der Woude
- Willing to give blood?
- Yes
- Full UK Address
- Flat 37 Packham Court, Lavender Avenue, Worcester Park, Surrey, KT4 8RS
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Emma Browne
- Full UK Address
- 14 Brocks Hill Drive, Oadby, Leicester
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Rebecca Jane Morris
- Full UK Address
- 18 The Links, Gredington Park, Wrecsam. LL13 9PZ
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Linda Hermans
- Comments
- В
- Willing to give blood?
- В
- Full UK Address
- 2 Moorland Road, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP1 1NQ
- Website
- В
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Michael Dally
- Full UK Address
- 80 orme road, Bangor , Gwynedd, ll57 1au
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Alison Hopkins
- Willing to give blood?
- Yes
- Full UK Address
- 50 Caellepa, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 1HF
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Liam jones
- Full UK Address
- 12 bryn derwen
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Harriet Tutin
- Willing to give blood?
- yes
- Full UK Address
- 104 Orme Road, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 1AU
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Alicia Howitt
- Willing to give blood?
- yes
- Full UK Address
- 89 high street, bangor, gwynedd, LL57 INS
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Rebecca Wood
- Willing to give blood?
- Unable
- Full UK Address
- 72 Luton Road, Chalton, Beds, LU4 9UG
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Amanda Shanks
- Willing to give blood?
- yes
- Full UK Address
- 4 St Pauls Terrace, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 1LB
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Isabella Mackey Joynson
- Full UK Address
- 7 Victoria Square, Bangor, LL57 4sa
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phil borrell
- Willing to give blood?
- cannot
- Full UK Address
- H201 Cefn Y Coed, Bangor. Gwynedd. LL57 2JR
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laura spencer
- Full UK Address
- 76 Farrar Road, Bangor, Gwynedd, North Wales
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Gemma Nicholls
- Full UK Address
- 8 Lower Street, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 1HN
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Sophie Podmore
- Willing to give blood?
- Yes
- Full UK Address
- 1 Garden Terrace, Pencarnisiog,Ty Croes, Anglesey, LL63 5SB
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Eirian
- Willing to give blood?
- Yes
- Full UK Address
- 34, LL653DN
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diego montaldo
- Comments
- I am a practicing blood doner and support this petition
- Willing to give blood?
- I do, I am a registered blood doner
- Full UK Address
- bethel chape,l leeswood, mold ch74sq
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oliver soffe
- Comments
- В
- Willing to give blood?
- В
- Full UK Address
- 20 park street, bangor, gwynedd, LL57 2AY
- Website
- В
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Sophie Wright
- Comments
- This ban is unbelievable! Straight people are at risk from HIV and Aids as well as gay and bisexuals. This rule should be changed as soon as possible. I think what the NHSBT is imposing is disgusting and EXTREMELY Homophobic!!!!!
- Full UK Address
- 36 Coast Road, Rhyl, Denbighshire, LL18 3PH
- Website
- www.myspace.com/poisoned_veins
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Kathryn Dean-Netscher
- Full UK Address
- 12 Avenue Road, Newport, Shropshire, TF10 7EA
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robert udale
- Full UK Address
- 62 ffordd pentre mold ch7 1uy
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Sarah Thomas
- Full UK Address
- 10 Thomas street, Holyhead, Anglesey. LL65 1 RR
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Elizabeth McNeill-Walters
- Willing to give blood?
- Yes
- Full UK Address
- 50 College Road, Bangor, LL57 2AP
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nicola jones
- Willing to give blood?
- yes
- Full UK Address
- 4 princes road bangor LL57 2BD
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sarah spencer
- Full UK Address
- 94 caernarfon road, bangor, gwynedd, ll57 4lp
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Louise Johnston
- Willing to give blood?
- I already give blood!
- Full UK Address
- 5 highstreet, bangor, ll57 1dq
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Ben Millar
- Willing to give blood?
- Yes - three donations and counting
- Full UK Address
- Alaw 138, Ffriddoedd Site, Ffriddoedd Road, Bangor, Gwyneth, LL57 2GF
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Claire Dutton
- Willing to give blood?
- yes
- Full UK Address
- 67 caellepa bangor gwynedd
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Emma Shillam
- Willing to give blood?
- Already a donor
- Full UK Address
- N008 Y Borth, Friddoedd Site, Friddoedd Road, Bangor University, Bangor, GWYNEDD. LL57 2JT
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Nathan Norton
- Willing to give blood?
- yes
- Full UK Address
- 4 the crescent, Bangor, Gwynedd, ll57 2aa
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Rebecca Gathercole
- Willing to give blood?
- yes
- Full UK Address
- Reichel, Ffriddoed Road, Bangor, LL57 2TR
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Coralie Sharpe
- Full UK Address
- 90 Neuadd Seiriol, Normal Site, Holyhead Road, Bangor, LL57 2PQ
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Kate Smith
- Full UK Address
- 15 Eleanor Road, LL29 9SW
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Brenda Adiyiah
- Full UK Address
- 52 High Street, Menai Bridge, Isle of Anglesey. Wales. LL59 5EF
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Emily Tyler
- Comments
- I feel that denying homosexuals the right to contribute to such an important cause is unnecessary and unacceptable and the issue needs addressing.
- Willing to give blood?
- yes
- Full UK Address
- 16c Menai View Terrace, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2HF
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William Osborn
- Willing to give blood?
- yes
- Full UK Address
- 44 The Spring Market Lavington Devizes Wiltshire SN10 4EB
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Jonathan Darrall-Rew
- Full UK Address
- 4 Bryn Teg Terrace, Bangor, Gwynned, LL57 2PU
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Scott
- Full UK Address
- 4 Snowdon View, Bangor, Gwynedd. LL57 2ER
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Sarah Robb
- Willing to give blood?
- Unable to, wish i could
- Full UK Address
- 31 belmont avenue, bangor, LL57 2Ht
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Ashleigh Smith
- Willing to give blood?
- Yes
- Full UK Address
- 8 Gordon Terrace, Garth Road, Bangor, LL57 2RU
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kimberley
- Willing to give blood?
- yes
- Full UK Address
- 5 upper garth road, bangor, gwynedd LL57 2HP
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Emily Butler
- Willing to give blood?
- Yes
- Full UK Address
- B126, Neuadd Peris, Ffriddoedd site, Ffriddoedd road, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2GE
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Arran James Booth
- Willing to give blood?
- yes
- Full UK Address
- Llwynon, danieol road, bangor, ll57 2up
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Mhairi
- Willing to give blood?
- Yes
- Full UK Address
- 70 Stoneton Crescent, Balsall Common, CV77QS
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63
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