Gays can't be trusted!

Many years ago I was shocked to discover the Australian Red Cross refused to consider me as an appropriate person to donate blood because I'm gay.

This was twenty years ago and I was asked by the nice grandmother posing as  a nurse - "I thought you people knew you couldn't donate." - I didn't. It was also the first time I'd been classed as a 'you people' by a seemingly sweet and kind conservative bigot. 

Grandparent is really the perfect disguise to hide personal aresholery. But I guess back then times and testing were very different, so, even though I was very embarrassed and had to slink out of the crowded room being stared at - I understood, or at least I convinced myself I understood.

But now we're in 2012 and I see I'm still ineligible. If you search hard enough on their website in the right section: you are ineligible if you have: 

• Had male to male sex (that is, oral or anal sex) with or without a condom?

• Had sex (with or without a condom) with a male who you think may have had oral or anal sex (with or without a condom) with another man?

I have to ask what the difference is between a gay man using a condom and a hetero couple using one. Even worse, why is a gay man practising safe sex rejected but a heterosexual practising unsafe sex is fine. This is such a good example of how the conservative majority cloak and hide their bigotry and ignorance, put aside their common sense and logic, in some sort of personal quest to discriminate against people or practises they don't condone. 

I guess the blood bank knows Gays can't be trusted to know their status or be tested. 

Shout out to Obama and Biden for their same sex marriage equality stance. A real leader showing real leadership and I hope, if he was facing a serious challenge in November that he would have done exactly the same thing! He's still a hero of mine and Americans should be proud to know they have a leader that has done the impossible - restored the credibility of the presidency after George W Potatohead.