Can you be an organ donor if gay?

1ZRed

I'm 17 so I'm only thinking about the idea. I think I'd like to do it but considering I'm not allowed to give blood if I've had sex with a man, can I donate organs?

wonderfulname

Interesting question, I'd never considered it. Gay Doctors Ireland say you can;

Without exception, the same criteria apply to heterosexual and LGBT organ donors.

I'd trust them on it.

1ZRed

I'm actually surprised we are allowed. But it seems hugely hypocritical to allow gay/bi organ donors to donate, yet I can't donate blood? WTF kind of screwed up country is this when it comes to gay matters?!

Oh and for the sake of discussion, and this is hypothetical, could I have donated blood if I never had sex with a guy but still strongly identified as gay? And what's stopping me from lying to them anyway for the greater good?

wonderfulname

Yes you could, the ban is on MSM (men who have sex with men) not gay men. Nothing is stopping you lying, many do.

An awful lot of countries have had or still have bans on MSM blood donors, it's from the AIDS epidemic in the 70s/80s, a time before HIV screening and relatively decent statistics or understanding on HIV/AIDS, it isn't solely an Irish problem, although the Blood Transfusion Services current view is a bit screwed up, they have openly stated in recent years that they do not intend on reviewing the criteria in the manner the UK has.

Personally I think it should be a ban on all those who have had unprotected sex within a certain time frame and have not been tested, the reasoning behind the ban is valid but the ban itself is neither adequate or just.

Sir Ophiuchus

Organs yes, blood no.

ladypip

Its utterly ridiculous that rule is still in place!. Its open discrimination. I'm a heterosexual woman and I could be having unprotected sex with strangers every night but I can walk in and give blood whenever I want (Im not by the way ).

I really agree with Wonderfulname's idea that people who have had unprotected sex in the last year or two should be banned, nothing to do with sexuality but more to do with personal responsibility.

RiseToTheTop

I wonder in the future if they will be able to create a penis transplant, lol.

Imagine the queue for Shane Diesel's penis.

L.Jenkins

Sir Ophiuchus wrote: »

Organs yes, blood no.

Don't want to hijack the thread, but it seems to be somewhat of a fallacy. Disease is also communicable through the donation of organs. On saying that, I'm also an organ donar.

1ZRed

I think it's highly hypocritical to let straight people donate when they could be out having unprotected sex but I can't even though I've never gone bareback. I don't know ANY straight person that would use a condom while having anal sex and that poses the same risk if two gay guys were to do it.
Anyway thats getting too deep into it but hopefully down the line I could donate blood without having to lie, be refused or have to wait over a year without sex(which is just really unrealistic)

@ItsThatManAgain
You said you're a donor, are you also gay?

Victor

1ZRed wrote: »

I'm actually surprised we are allowed. But it seems hugely hypocritical to allow gay/bi organ donors to donate, yet I can't donate blood?

A blood donor may donate to hundreds of people in the course of their lifetime, with the main matching criteria being blood group.

Organ donors tend to donate to maybe a handful and the matching criteria can be extensive.

L.Jenkins

1ZRed wrote: »

@ItsThatManAgain
You said you're a donor, are you also gay?

No but I am Trans, but I don't know if that will affect my ability to donate after my demise. I'm not sure if I can even donate blood, but I'll be checking into it next time around.

EGAR

Blood donation rules seem to vary from country to country. I gave blood in Germany and the States, yet in Ireland I can't because I have a mild case of psoriasis on my left elbow..?

I am an organ donor and no one asked if I had any conditions whatsoever?

Sir Ophiuchus

ItsThatManAgain wrote: »

Don't want to hijack the thread, but it seems to be somewhat of a fallacy. Disease is also communicable through the donation of organs. On saying that, I'm also an organ donar.

I'm also an organ donor, and yes, I agree that it's a stupid and arbitrary distinction.

L.Jenkins

EGAR wrote: »

Blood donation rules seem to vary from country to country. I gave blood in Germany and the States, yet in Ireland I can't because I have a mild case of psoriasis on my left elbow..?

I am an organ donor and no one asked if I had any conditions whatsoever?

I actually have a bad case of psoriasis and they see it everytime I go in. There never seems to be a problem.