Gay rights, coming out, blood donation and discrimination.

AARRRGH

jady88 wrote: »

That is an odd hobby... I'm not an expert I'm only posting the link to what I read in the times. No your all right though you seem rather eager.

Yep it is a weird hobby. My uncle died of AIDS related complications so I've sort of been researching it since then...

jady88

AARRRGH wrote: »

Yep it is a weird hobby. My uncle died of AIDS related complications so I've sort of been researching it since then...

I am sorry... I know that homosexuals are more susceptible.

Boston

AARRRGH. Is it not true that women are the demographic with the fast rising rate of HIV infection? Some have interpreted that as greatest risk, it isn't, but it is something to be aware of no?

jady88 wrote: »

I am sorry... I know that homosexuals are more susceptible.

Pedant hat on.

No they are not. Sexuality has nothing to do with susceptible. Someone with a preexisting medical condition maybe more susceptible. According to some research a male with a forskin is more susceptible then a male without one. But there's nothing inherent in homosexuality which makes you more susceptible. Certain sex acts and behavior carry a higher risk then others, that is where it stopped. Sorry to be a pedant, but terminology is important.

jady88

Boston wrote: »

No they are not. Sexuality has nothing to do with susceptible. Someone with a preexisting medical condition maybe more susceptible. According to some research a male with a forskin is more susceptible then a male without one. But there's nothing inherent in homosexuality which makes you more susceptible. Certain sex acts and behavior carry a higher risk then others, that is where it stopped. Sorry to be a pedant, but terminology is important.

:eek: Oh I can't believe I wrote that... I know susceptible was the ABSOLUTE wrong word... I'm sorry:(:eek:

Boston

Ah we forgive you.

JupiterKid

It's a discriminatory ban and whilst I do see the reasoning behind it, is it wrong IMO. Everyone giving blood, irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, race etc. should be screened for blood borne diseases. There's no point either AFAIK for gay men to carry organ donor cards either - they won't want your organs as you are consideed a higher risk of HIV/AIDS. Maybe ITBS should run a new advertising campaign to encourage people to give blood*

*but sorry, not if you're gay.

It does make gay men into second class citizens and I can understand why the OP was offended by the rather blase comments made by his educated but still quite ignorant classmates.

I'm also disgusted with certain posters who think they can just come on here with impunity and spew their homophobic hatred and drivel. On most LGBT message board forums, they'd be promptly banned.

Boston

JupiterKid wrote: »

I'm also disgusted with certain posters who think they can just come on here with impunity and spew their homophobic hatred and drivel. On most LGBT message board forums, they'd be promptly banned.

Well this is Sparta! I see little in the way of "homophobic hatred and drivel" in this thread. We don't ban people for having a different view. If you read the thread fully you'll be people being challenged successfully on any ignorant or potentially homophobic comment.

JupiterKid

Boston wrote: »

Well this is Sparta! I see little in the way of "homophobic hatred and drivel" in this thread. We don't ban people for having a different view. If you read the thread fully you'll be people being challenged successfully on any ignorant or potentially homophobic comment.

Well anti-gay sentiments do seem to be the staple of some occasional posters on this forum. But that's just my opinion and I'm sure others differ.

Does anyone know whatever happened to the campaign to change the discriminatory policy by ITBS on gay men giving blood?

MagicMarker

I can't give blood and I'm not gay, am I considered a second class citizen aswell?

Boston

The campaign seemed to amouth to calling a bunch of civil servants homophobes and fell apart when it got no where as a result. Largely student run from what I could tell and how little traction 12 months after it started, which is typical of student campaigns. Perhaps LGBT Noise, a seemingly extremely professional grouping will focus on this issue at some point in the future?

thirtythirty

I.J. wrote: »

I come to a gay forum to get away from people like you because your disapproval of me makes me uncomfortable. I avoid religious forums because I disaprove of what those people do, although I don't hate them.

I was like "i'm not in a gay forum, boards isn't gay is it??". Then i realised i was in the gay forum within boards

Anyway i think you're over analysing and absorbing what other people think too much. "Here comes the science bit"...

I'm not gay. And i couldnt give a **** what other people are into - one of my flat mates is gay, and i have one other gay friend, and we [our group of friends, including every extended person that we interact with] treat them no different to how we treat anyone. But herein lies the problem.

One of the lads decided that "he needed to come out", which is incrediblly american, and tv-showish, and we still slag him about that, which he takes in good humour, just like when we slag one of the other lads about e.g. something he did / a specific feature / something he once said / something he likes etc. My other gay mate just said it in passing, to which we responded "huh, really?" and things continue on as usual, bar the odd gay quipp - which is no different to any quipp we make about any mate (boy or girl) about anything.

So what am i (badly) trying to articulate? I'm basically trying to show how their "gayness" is simply 1 of many features of them, much like another mate's spikey hair / love for blues music / addiction to coffee etc.
Just like any feature of anyone, it's going to be commented on / discussed by people at some point, but YOU SHOULDNT GIVE A **** ABOUT OTHER'S OPINIONS!!

There will always be ignorant people, or haters of "x". Whether it's being called "retarded for liking x music", or a "fag", whatever, who gives a ****. You don't need to be mates with them!

JupiterKid

spottyelephant wrote: »

I was like "i'm not in a gay forum, boards isn't gay is it??". Then i realised i was in the gay forum within boards

Anyway i think you're over analysing and absorbing what other people think too much. "Here comes the science bit"...

I'm not gay. And i couldnt give a **** what other people are into - one of my flat mates is gay, and i have one other gay friend, and we [our group of friends, including every extended person that we interact with] treat them no different to how we treat anyone. But herein lies the problem.

One of the lads decided that "he needed to come out", which is incrediblly american, and tv-showish, and we still slag him about that, which he takes in good humour, just like when we slag one of the other lads about e.g. something he did / a specific feature / something he once said / something he likes etc. My other gay mate just said it in passing, to which we responded "huh, really?" and things continue on as usual, bar the odd gay quipp - which is no different to any quipp we make about any mate (boy or girl) about anything.

So what am i (badly) trying to articulate? I'm basically trying to show how their "gayness" is simply 1 of many features of them, much like another mate's spikey hair / love for blues music / addiction to coffee etc.
Just like any feature of anyone, it's going to be commented on / discussed by people at some point, but YOU SHOULDNT GIVE A **** ABOUT OTHER'S OPINIONS!!

There will always be ignorant people, or haters of "x". Whether it's being called "retarded for liking x music", or a "fag", whatever, who gives a ****. You don't need to be mates with them!

Yes, you have a good point. Not everyone will agree with your, or my, point of view and people need to respect different opinions and outlooks.

But words, when filled with hatred, can hurt. They can be much more damaging, even fatal, when they incite others to hurt or even kill.:( Bigots, homophobes and those who whip up hatred and mass paranoia/hysteria have quite a lot of blood on their hands (no pun intended...)

Bottle_of_Smoke

Boston wrote: »

AARRRGH. Is it not true that women are the demographic with the fast rising rate of HIV infection? Some have interpreted that as greatest risk, it isn't, but it is something to be aware of no?

I think they are but its mainly because of Africa and other places with high levels of individuals infected. And simply because there are much more women than men who have sex with men.

Reflector

spottyelephant wrote: »

I was like "i'm not in a gay forum, boards isn't gay is it??". Then i realised i was in the gay forum within boards

Anyway i think you're over analysing and absorbing what other people think too much. "Here comes the science bit"...

I'm not gay. And i couldnt give a **** what other people are into - one of my flat mates is gay, and i have one other gay friend, and we [our group of friends, including every extended person that we interact with] treat them no different to how we treat anyone. But herein lies the problem.

One of the lads decided that "he needed to come out", which is incrediblly american, and tv-showish, and we still slag him about that, which he takes in good humour, just like when we slag one of the other lads about e.g. something he did / a specific feature / something he once said / something he likes etc. My other gay mate just said it in passing, to which we responded "huh, really?" and things continue on as usual, bar the odd gay quipp - which is no different to any quipp we make about any mate (boy or girl) about anything.

So what am i (badly) trying to articulate? I'm basically trying to show how their "gayness" is simply 1 of many features of them, much like another mate's spikey hair / love for blues music / addiction to coffee etc.
Just like any feature of anyone, it's going to be commented on / discussed by people at some point, but YOU SHOULDNT GIVE A **** ABOUT OTHER'S OPINIONS!!

There will always be ignorant people, or haters of "x". Whether it's being called "retarded for liking x music", or a "fag", whatever, who gives a ****. You don't need to be mates with them!

hey, agreed about this but remember there is a line between bullying and a bit of a slagging. I don't tolerate people making remarks about me and if people want to slag me thats fine as my mates do but when one turns to the other and says "your a f**king fag**t" then I take offence. It's like the N word to gays, and I will always take it up with people if said in a certain way.
You and your mates may be cool with it and thats fine that your gay friend doesnt mind being slagged but I know kids in school whos lives are a nightmare because they are so afraid of who they are and a lot is to do to what they hear around them. Are you sure your mate doesn't feel isolated?, I know I do with my friends as I am the only gay among them and if they were slagging me a lot I know it'd be worse.
out of all my straight friends I'd say there's only 2 or 3 who would actually take offence to people using derogatory words for gay people and I expect that as I always pipe up when I hear a taxi man or someone making racist comments.

you may not give a ah*t but to be a little over the top The road to Auschwitz was built by hate but paved with indifference

JupiterKid

Reflector wrote: »

hey, agreed about this but remember there is a line between bullying and a bit of a slagging. I don't tolerate people making remarks about me and if people want to slag me thats fine as my mates do but when one turns to the other and says "your a f**king fag**t" then I take offence. It's like the N word to gays, and I will always take it up with people if said in a certain way.

you may not give a ah*t but to be a little over the top The road to Auschwitz was built by hate but paved with indifference

Well put, Refelector. I completely agree. There really seems to be in indifference to homophobia by some on this thread/forum.:(

Boston

You have to realise that if you banned every person who posted something on this forum which could be interpreted as homophobic - rightly or wrongly - you'd have banned most of the people who ever used the forum to come to terms with their own sexuality. There are other forums out there which are effectively a closed shop, not open to any dissenting opinions or any comment which isn't 100% pulling in the "right" direction. If you feel something shouldn't be posted here, there's a report post function and the moderators are very accommodating.

I think the thread is a pretty close reflection of what would happen in "real life", most people supporting I.J. and understanding why he got upset while pointing out the facts from the myths. You'll also get a handful of people just being ignorant.

Born Red 79

...HOWEVER, today during a class I was in coversation with two people who dont know Im gay. Somebody mentioned something about general donating blood and I spoke up and made the point that homosexual men are not allowed to donate blood. One person immediately and swiftly said, "thats because they are a higher risk" and briskly wanted to move onto something else. I got them back to the subject and said that straight people are also a great risk because of promiscuity. Then the other person said, in an aggressive manner, "statistics show that gay men are more likely to have a high risk of disease and that there are a lot less gays in monogamous relationships than straight people". I really was shocked at the generalisation. As I said we are all supposed to be educated in understanding identity, equality and being aware of "othering".

I'm doing my dissertation on this. If anyon has any ideas I'd appreciate them. Got a few myself but always open to more...

jammywaterford

Hi Red 79.
Basing my disertation on racial prejudice ,,,, all prejudice is predominatly unconcious, assimilated from socio cues.... mayb u shd hav a look at IAT test , Tony Greenwald ( just google it ) , n pretty hot at the mo concerning the forming of prejudicial stereotypes. ... mayb others here should too ...lol

drop me a line ,,, in relation to above if any use to u ...


Stay gud

shoegirl

I.J. wrote: »

the other person said, in an aggressive manner, "statistics show that gay men are more likely to have a high risk of disease and that there are a lot less gays in monogamous relationships than straight people".

This sadly, is what happens as a result of institutional discrimination.
It becomes very difficult to change incorrect attitudes or beliefs when we still have laws and policies that prohibit us from taking part in life to the full for reasons that are no longer applicable or long since proven to be incorrect.

Nobody really knows the truth about real levels of statistics for either gays or straights because they are mostly based on population samples that may not reflect fully the bigger picture. The only thing I will say is that similar attitudes are increasingly being reflected as the gay community becomes less ghettoized.

AARRRGH

shoegirl wrote: »

Nobody really knows the truth about real levels of statistics for either gays or straights because they are mostly based on population samples that may not reflect fully the bigger picture.

I disagree. Statistic after statistic show certain groups of people have higher rates of HIV, e.g. black people (whether they're African is irrelevant), gay men, injection drug users, etc.

I agree statistics can sometimes be misleading, for example, one study showed drug users who share needles are less likely to get HIV than drug users who do not share needles, however, examining a number of studies over a period of time rules out exceptions as being the norm.