Why is my blood dirty?
By Jake Parker
The first of December every year marks world AIDS day. It’s a day of raising awareness of AIDS and HIV and offering an opportunity for communities to show their support for people currently living with HIV and to commemorate those who have died of AIDS related illnesses. It’s often easy, over thirty years after the height of the 80s ‘AIDS crisis’ to relegate these issues to history, and the way that queer individuals were treated at the height of the epidemic as symptoms of a less evolved and culturally progressive society. Yet the homophobic hangover of HIV / AIDS remains pertinent today.
Only 3% of Australians are reported to donate blood every year. In 2018, the Red Cross held a Christmas appeal for 4,500 donations of blood that “could signal the difference between life or death.” Yet queer men, non binary and trans people are still relegated a one year deferral period from any blood donation following sexual intercourse, regardless of lifestyle, whether the sex was protected or not, or whether the person is in a closed relationship.
This comes from the assumption that these communities are of higher risk for HIV, HPV and other transmitted diseases. The deferral period is a hangover from a fear of a ‘window period,’ wherein people who are HIV positive can test negative for a certain period of time. Previous testing systems such as the ELISA testing systems took on an average of 22 days but as long as a maximum of three - six months to confirm an accurate reading. However modern methods such as tests which locate the virus on the surface of infected cells and Nuclead acid tests (NAT) which locate genetic material allow for an average of 12 days in testing with a maximum period of one and a half months.
Yet despite this, the deferral period for Australia is still restricted to one year. This is not a localised phenomena with the USA also holding a one year period.
However, several countries, such as Italy, Poland and Spain have removed the interment period altogether, while the United Kingdom shortened the deferral period to three months in 2017. A study into the impacts of this shortening of the deferral period by the Royal College of Physicians showed a negligible increase in risk, writing that “a 12 month deferral period is not evidence based and perhaps 3 months is overly cautious.” If it takes a maximum one and a half month window period to ensure an accurate reading then it seems unreasonable for a deferral period of eight times that. Even with old testing methods a 12 month deferral period echoes an undercurrent of homophobia in a society which has stigmatised queer people and relegated them to stereotypes and assumptions.
In assuming a blanket ban for queer men, non binary and trans people that draws on an assumed likeliness for HIV or HPV positivity no matter individual action, is pigeon holing entire communities. That is to say, a ‘promiscuous’’ straight man who has unprotected sex frequently is more likely to contract HIV, HPV or an STI than a queer man / non binary / trans person in a monogamous or closed relationship and yet there are no legal protections or restrictions. It is important to note that these bans extend also to sex workers.
There have been movements to lower or abolish the deferral time, notably in 2012 where the Red Cross’ petition to lower the deferral period to six months was rejected by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Red Cross lifeblood is currently in the process of establishing a follow up review, engaging with “ current donors, potential donors, and people who are currently deferred based on their sexual activity.” Yet surely in a post plebiscite Australia, enough is enough.
The AIDS crisis is a pivotal part of LGBTQI+ history and to minimise its impacts would be to negate the devastating effects that it had on these communities. However, a society that can’t move beyond a crippling homophobic fear despite soaring advances risk minimisation, appears to these communities which have been long persecuted as a society that refuses to move forward at all.