Let's start saving some lives.
February 19, 2015 7:46 AM Subscribe
Gotta love Alan Cumming.
posted by Obscure Reference at 8:47 AM on February 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Obscure Reference at 8:47 AM on February 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
If it's possible for Americans to even comprehend, It's actually worse in Canada. Five years must elapse between your last MSM encounter and donation.
posted by blue t-shirt at 8:58 AM on February 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by blue t-shirt at 8:58 AM on February 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
blue t-shirt, until a few weeks ago, the ban was from 1977 on.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 9:01 AM on February 19, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 9:01 AM on February 19, 2015 [3 favorites]
Uh... inadvertently, it appears I can give blood. Yay?
And what a completely excellent public health video - there was more diversity in that minute and a half than 200 hours of Oscar nominated films this year.
posted by helmutdog at 9:28 AM on February 19, 2015 [4 favorites]
And what a completely excellent public health video - there was more diversity in that minute and a half than 200 hours of Oscar nominated films this year.
posted by helmutdog at 9:28 AM on February 19, 2015 [4 favorites]
So, the group that I worked for until recently* tried to jump on this bandwagon and one of the things that undercut us is that there's not actually a blood shortage and allowing MSM to donate wouldn't impact the overall supply that much. It's an offensive bit of discrimination, but there's very little urgency to it.
The other, bigger problem is that the current guidelines are of the "prove a negative" sort: To change the blood and tissue donation guidelines, the current FDA rules say that you have to prove that there is no increased risk to the blood supply. Given incomplete compliance with testing questionnaires and the disproportionately high rates of HIV+ for MSM, there's a worry that HIV+ blood will get through. The thing is though, the comparatively cheap test that they use (ELISA) gives more false positives than false negatives, and since it's just a screening and not a diagnosis there's no real justification for not changing the criteria except ew gay blood cooties. The nominal concern over the "window" of exposure can be mitigated by a much more realistic deferral period or better questionnaire screenings (which is GLAAD's ultimate goal).
I dunno, the org I worked for thought this would be a slam dunk in that it would happen whether or not we got involved so why not take credit for a win, but the board surprised us by being much more conservative than anyone had assumed.
posted by klangklangston at 10:29 AM on February 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
The other, bigger problem is that the current guidelines are of the "prove a negative" sort: To change the blood and tissue donation guidelines, the current FDA rules say that you have to prove that there is no increased risk to the blood supply. Given incomplete compliance with testing questionnaires and the disproportionately high rates of HIV+ for MSM, there's a worry that HIV+ blood will get through. The thing is though, the comparatively cheap test that they use (ELISA) gives more false positives than false negatives, and since it's just a screening and not a diagnosis there's no real justification for not changing the criteria except ew gay blood cooties. The nominal concern over the "window" of exposure can be mitigated by a much more realistic deferral period or better questionnaire screenings (which is GLAAD's ultimate goal).
I dunno, the org I worked for thought this would be a slam dunk in that it would happen whether or not we got involved so why not take credit for a win, but the board surprised us by being much more conservative than anyone had assumed.
posted by klangklangston at 10:29 AM on February 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
i love alan cumming so much. if you aren't already watching the good wife, you should start. he's amazing on it.
posted by nadawi at 10:47 AM on February 19, 2015
posted by nadawi at 10:47 AM on February 19, 2015
On the one hand, this whole thing makes me angry face (I can boink all the men I want [as long as they don't sleep with other men] and women and still donate etc), but this video gave me badly needed giggles today, so thank you.
posted by joycehealy at 10:48 AM on February 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by joycehealy at 10:48 AM on February 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
The thing is though, the comparatively cheap test that they use (ELISA) gives more false positives than false negatives, and since it's just a screening and not a diagnosis there's no real justification for not changing the criteria except ew gay blood cooties.
Really, really simple.
1) When was the last time you had unprotected sex/shared needles/got a tattoo/had a blood transfusion?
2) If <3 months, sorry, please come back later
3) If >3 months, rapid HIV test
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 11:02 AM on February 19, 2015 [3 favorites]
Really, really simple.
1) When was the last time you had unprotected sex/shared needles/got a tattoo/had a blood transfusion?
2) If <3 months, sorry, please come back later
3) If >3 months, rapid HIV test
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 11:02 AM on February 19, 2015 [3 favorites]
(I can boink all the men I want [as long as they don't sleep with other men] and women and still donate etc)
Hit post too soon. This doesn't account for MSM in relationships with women who don't know they're MSM. Deeply closeted guys often don't use condoms.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 11:03 AM on February 19, 2015 [3 favorites]
Hit post too soon. This doesn't account for MSM in relationships with women who don't know they're MSM. Deeply closeted guys often don't use condoms.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 11:03 AM on February 19, 2015 [3 favorites]
i love alan cumming so much. if you aren't already watching the good wife, you should start. he's amazing on it.
I had no idea he was in that, but I might need to watch it now.
posted by vibratory manner of working at 3:38 PM on February 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
I had no idea he was in that, but I might need to watch it now.
posted by vibratory manner of working at 3:38 PM on February 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
This doesn't account for MSM in relationships with women who don't know they're MSM. Deeply closeted guys often don't use condoms.
Well, presumably, they know if they've had sex with men. But, yeah, they're pretty much the reason the phrase 'MSM' exists. MSM identifying as straight known to be a hard target for outreach.
posted by hoyland at 3:59 PM on February 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
Well, presumably, they know if they've had sex with men. But, yeah, they're pretty much the reason the phrase 'MSM' exists. MSM identifying as straight known to be a hard target for outreach.
posted by hoyland at 3:59 PM on February 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
Alan Cumming is the best ever.
posted by firei at 4:07 PM on February 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by firei at 4:07 PM on February 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
His Who Do You Think You Are episode is pretty great.
posted by bonobothegreat at 4:12 PM on February 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by bonobothegreat at 4:12 PM on February 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
That was awesome, but I wish he had let rip with his at-home accent.
Seriously, America, The Gay is not catching.
posted by allthinky at 5:35 PM on February 19, 2015
Seriously, America, The Gay is not catching.
posted by allthinky at 5:35 PM on February 19, 2015
Well, presumably, they know if they've had sex with men.
I meant the wives and girlfriends not knowing about their male partners being MSM.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 6:17 PM on February 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
I meant the wives and girlfriends not knowing about their male partners being MSM.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 6:17 PM on February 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
Alan Cumming is fucking outstanding.
I'm as straight/cis male/boring as they come, but I'd be the small spoon for Alan Cumming.
posted by Sphinx at 6:49 PM on February 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
I'm as straight/cis male/boring as they come, but I'd be the small spoon for Alan Cumming.
posted by Sphinx at 6:49 PM on February 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
That was awesome, but I wish he had let rip with his at-home accent.
Americans don't read subtitles.
But seriously this was excellent and I second helmutdog on the refreshing diversity.
posted by psoas at 11:59 AM on February 20, 2015
Americans don't read subtitles.
But seriously this was excellent and I second helmutdog on the refreshing diversity.
posted by psoas at 11:59 AM on February 20, 2015
I meant the wives and girlfriends not knowing about their male partners being MSM.
Ah! A day later, I re-read that sentence and it's obvious that's what you meant.
posted by hoyland at 3:59 PM on February 20, 2015
Ah! A day later, I re-read that sentence and it's obvious that's what you meant.
posted by hoyland at 3:59 PM on February 20, 2015
MAIN STREAM MEDIA
posted by klangklangston at 4:41 PM on February 20, 2015
posted by klangklangston at 4:41 PM on February 20, 2015
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Hooray for funny public health videos.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 8:29 AM on February 19, 2015 [2 favorites]