Man Who Raised Money For Organ Donation Dies, Is Rejected As Organ Donor Because He Was Gay
I understand the concern about AIDS, but what people need to realize is that was only a ten year epidemic that lasted from 1981 to about 1991. It was not and is not a permanent aspect of homosexuality, but rather a specific period of time with a clear beginning and end. Besides, if they're really that concerned, I'm pretty sure doctors could do a blood test to determine whether or not there were any HIV viruses present in the blood stream and/or organs. Sexually transmitted diseases can only be contracted by having sex with someone else who has the disease. If two people who are both totally clean have sex with each other, then it's impossible for either one of them to contract a disease as a result, even if they're of the same sex. If the two men in this case were involved in a purely monogamous relationship with each other, then the risk of HIV is virtually zero.
So, AIDS is cured as of 1991? That is good news. I was worried that AIDS was going to be a disease that would spread like wildfire thru the gay community and be carried to the straight community by bi-sexual people to the point that the good ole’ one night stand became a game of Russian Roulette and even blood donation would be complicated. I was concerned that AIDS would be a threat long past the year 2000 and as we began to close in on it with various cures and treatments it would start constantly shifting into new strains making our treatments obsolete as quick as we could come up with them. I was concerned that AIDS would become a disease of stigma galvanizing otherwise open-minded individuals against the LBGT community. Glad that was all averted.
It's too bad that we don't have an opt-out system like they do in Spain. As it is, even our current opt-in system results in delays as the immediate family can overrule the explicit wishes of the donor once deceased. What a stupid system.