Homosexuals Banned from Sperm Donations

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The FDA is about to enact a policy that will ban any man who has engaged in homosexual sex in the last 5 years from donating sperm. They site that homosexual men are at a higher risk of carring HIV. However, other high risks groups are not on the list. For example, a heterosexual man who has not had sex with a prostitute in the last year, may donate sperm. Same thing for intravenous drug users - one year only. While I will agree that HIV is more prevalent in the homosexual population, it seems to me that it is also very prevalent in men who frequent prostitutes and intravenous drug users. Imposing a one year ban on other high-risk people but imposing a five year ban on another set seems not right.

You can read the whole article here.

 

My view is that the totality of sperm donation should be banned.

 

Chev,

I'm with you on that one 100%.

 

I see two issues here. First, HIV. The appropriate thing to do would be to have ANY donor tested for HIV (at the donor's expense). My understanding of HIV is that intervenous users who get HIV from their habit develop the symptoms much quicker and progress faster through the various stages. This would mean if you haven't shown symptoms within a few months, you don't have it. HIV from sexual encounters seems to take more time going from infection, to having the antibody, to having the virus. Blood carried HIV is just more 'potent' (for lack of a more medical term here).

The second issue I have is with homosexuality itself. The current medical trend is that you are born a homosexual -- it is genetic, not psychological. Whether or not I agree with the prognosis is not important: the key here is some in the medical profession believe homosexuality is genetic. To me, it is blatantly wrong to donate without the specimen being clearly identified as belonging to a homosexual (I don't know if this is a current practise). For those who do not have any objections to having a child that may be a homosexual, they are free to choose that donation.

 

How much money do you get for donating sperm? How much do you have to give?

 

I got ~100 xp in Fallout 2 for donating.

 

I sincerely hope they test all sperm that is donated, shouldnt matter if it comes from someone who appears to be a gay heroin addict or not. It is the sensible thing to do. Should be added on the receivers bill. It isnt that expensive of a procedure.

 

Are your finances that bad, Sir Bel?

To me, I see it as a case of statistics. If the statistics tell the actuaries that 5 years for homosexuals is the appropriate window, but 1 year for men who sleep with prostitutes, then so be it. It doesn't HAVE to be seen as an "anti-gay" policy that is knee jerk (pardon the pun).

It's like some insurance companies here decided to stop insuring Native Canadians. It wasn't a racist thing, the stats CLEARLY showed that this group had a horrendous record on the road.

 

Well, the reason for this is obvious...

Homosexuals are very skilled at handling male genitalia; they were producing product that typical sperm-donation recepticals were just not designed to accommodate. Overflow ensued...nurses were scared...and laws needed to be passed.

Clearly homosexuals are a biohazard at sperm donataries.

 

Perhaps other problems arose as well. For one, the normal nudy magazines provided in order to achieve the desired result no longer functioned correctly and the budget was not capable of handling their replacement...

 

This is just crap, just cause some one is gay it does not mean they have HIV.

HIV can contracted from sexual contact, but that does not mean that homosexual men have it just cause of there sexual prefrence.

 

I'm not too fond of spermdonation, but gay men should be allowed just like anyone else.

 

Who knows, maybe it's infectious (Beware of the gay germs!)... or because those homos have all AIDS or hepatitis anyway ... or because no one would buy gay sperm, fearing to get gay children ...

Yes, there is no end to the potential horrors.

Point in case: If homosexuality is genetic, what then? Is male and female homosexuality both genetic? I know a woman who, after getting raped, became lesbian because she couldn'd bear having sex with men anymore. Is she a fake and basically just an unwitting bisexual? Or is she excused? Or an exception anyway? What about 'real' bisexual folks - who choose both genders, so, are they just depraved or degenerated animals unable to hold their urges?

Questions, questions ...

 

It does sound stupid to ban homosexuals.

What about a budget style pic&mix sperm?

Take a chance and you could have Black English wifebeater sperm, Transexual Indian sperm, Red headed Irish drunk sperm etc!

 

I feel it appropriate to reiterate that statistics, while worse than damn lies according to Twain, sometimes just can't be ignored. One statistic I KNOW is true is that Homosexual men are at a higher risk of having AIDS. I'm not saying they all do or anything redneck like that, but ask any researcher and they'll tell you. Same thing goes for women of African descent (at least in North America); they are at higher risk of AIDS. Doesn't make me a racist, doesn't mean I said they should all be killed or that they're all sluts; I said no such thing, but ignoring a statistic because it may not be PC is a recipe for disaster.

The Canadian Red Cross fouled up with their blood services a while back, and they are in DEEP trouble with the courts now (though not as deep as I think the irresponsible little bastards should be).

If it comes down to public safety versus the feelings of ANY group (my own religion included) I vote to err on the side of public safety, and the offended people can go talk to their shrinks and whine all they like.

 

What does it matter if the sperm is more likely to be HIV infected? It will get tested wont it? As I said before, I sincerely hope all sperm get tested or something is seriously wrong.

No matter what you say Depaara your views on this are based on your religous and political standing, just look at the people for and against this issue. All the conservatives think it is wonderful while all the nasty evil libruls think it is odd and stupid.

 

And how exactly are the officials who administser this going to know who's gay, assuming they're not on a national TV show? It's nothing but a big wind for the religious right, unless they're planning to invite denunciations, which also have obvious disadvantages. ("I saw you going from the 'Chains N' Suds' laundromat to the sperm bank, Marvin, and I'm turning you in.") Excuse me while I wash my socks.

 

Well to me it really depends. If FDA is a government institution then it's most certainly wrong and discriminative since all the sperm should be tested. On the other hand if we are talking about a private corporations then they most certainly have the right to choose to whom they pay for a "donation". If people are worried about homosexual sperm and it reduces sales then this is perfectly understandable.

EDIT: Ok, Carcaroth in that case it's most certainly wrong.

[ June 01, 2005, 13:33: Message edited by: Morgoroth ]

 

The FDA is the Food & Drug Administration, and responsible for licensing all medical treatments in the US, obviously including artificial insemination. Certainly not a private corporation.

 

Some sperm banks are run by private companies, but just like some doctor's have private offices they are still under the auspices of the FDA.

@ Cernak - the only way they could tell is based on what you put down on the screening form. One of the questions is if you have had homosexual sex in the last 5 years. The screening process is similar to someone who wished to give a blood donation. So, in theory, a homosexual could lie on the screening and donate anyway.