Should I lie about my sexual status for a blood donation?

If you're clean I think it's okay.

 

Instead of lying, work to revise the guidelines(I realize you might not be able to do this right now). Just my 2 cents.
Do you really want to donate badly enough that you're willing to lie to do so?

 

You're lying about something that has literally no effect on anybody else. They can't test your blood for 'gay' but they sure as hell will test it for any diseases.

If you really want to give blood that badly then lie about your orientation. Frankly, they have no business asking since it's not medically relevant. Even if it DID increase the chances of carrying blood-born disease they test all the blood anyway.

 

When you say practical reasons, are you talking about potential consequences for you, or something else?

 

I'd lie. They screen all blood anyway. And chances are, your blood is fine. It's a great thing to do, and I think they need to rethink their 'rules'!

 

Even though it would be hard for them to find out, and to prove, have you checked into whether or not there are legal penalties for such a situation? I would urge you to do that before taking any action.

 

The chances of them finding out are pretty slim.

But let's be honest. You have a choice here and since you expressed you wanted to make a moral choice I'm going to give you one.

I assume part of the reason you want to give blood is because you know the importance of having blood available when it is needed. The more blood donated the higher chance a life can be saved down the line. Perhaps you also feel that it is not right to take from others what you would not give yourself, and thus if you ever needed a blood transfusion you would want to know that you had given blood too!

You can either be honest now and give no blood. Other people will still give it, but you won't have. Ever. You tell them now and you are already banned until the stupid rule is overturned.

Or you can lie now and give blood. You can give blood until someone finds out and the blood bank confront you about it. Then you get banned.

I know which I would choose in your situation.

 

I said don't lie BUT I agree that this law us homophobic and doesn't make sense. Yes, gay men have a higher HIV rate than straight men BUT they test for it so, unless someone is being lazy, this shouldn't be an issue. It's unjust and immoral. I'd write a strongly-worded letter to my representative.

 

I used to donate many years ago, but stopped due to the ban on sexually active gay men donating.

Personally, I wouldn't lie to donate.

 

It's an incredibly homophobic law, that's for sure, but I wouldn't lie either. But that is because I don't like to lie.. I like to speak the truth.

If I wanted to donate so badly, I still wouldn't lie.. I would get over it eventually.

 

lie away friend! I donate all the time because it's the right thing to do for the community

I feel offering blood and security is more important than takin a stand

 

If you're STD-free, I don't see why not.

^^ THIS.

 

I'd say you should lie like a rug! Seriously!

I'm usually Mr. "Follow the rules" but I hate this whole rule. We always hear about the need for blood, so I think that if it matters to you, go for it!

 

I just looked up the UK guidelines and apparently you can't give blood if you are a woman who has had sex with a man who has engaged in sex with another man in the last year...

So apparently gay is also contagious...

 

I would go ahead and lie for a couple of reasons.
1. It can save many lives regardless of your orientation, healthy blood is good blood.
2. There is already a shortage of men donating blood in Australia, why keep it that way?

I'd much rather lie and save a life or 2 than be honest just because of a ridiculous rule that could stop someone from getting what they need.

 

If you're clean you do what you feel is best.

 

Lie.

(I'm of the opinion that many rules are stupid, and need to be broken.)