In recognition that it was World AIDS day recently, a telling statistic has come to light here in Australia.

For the first time HIV diagnosis rates for straight men in Western Australia are now greater than for gay men.

It seems that straight men, predominantly over the age of 40 who have traveled overseas and engaged in unsafe (i.e. unprotected) heterosexual sex are the cause of the spike in new infections. The great danger in this news is that men in this demographic are usually less likely to have regular sexual health checkups, thus not identifying the infection, sometimes for years. By leaving the infection unidentified and untreated, the virus attacks and eventually destroys the carriers’ immune system and endangers the health of their straight sexual partners.

Another point to ponder is this. Given the increased HIV infections among heterosexual men, will heterosexual men also be banned from donating blood, just as all homosexual men (regardless of their HIV status) were, and still are.

I couldn't care less; but those who are interested might like some evidence that this is the case: actual studies e.g., names of researchers, anything at all about how this finding was produced.

for such a small percentage of the population those practicing homosexuality certainly want a large say in things.

Saw it today your post is quite true
Gays however are far from the only ones not able to donate
Having been unlucky enough to have had both Q Fever and Barmah Forest Virus I can not donate
Hetrosexuals who present a danger can not donate and we would not want them to

Belly, you are quite right - those infected with specific illnesses should not be able to donate. However, a blanket ban was placed on all homosexual men because of the HIV issue. This was the point of my question.

Dear runner

I would have thought that if anyone wanted to help prevent the spread of HIV in the community, such help would be welcome. The gay community has years of experience in successfully slowing the spread of HIV. A pity your stubborn blindness prevents you from seeing and accepting that help.