Should Atralia end rtrictns on gay and bisexual men donatg blood? | Health | The Guardian

Contents:

• HERE IS WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT VICTORIA'S GAY NVERSN BILL
• NSW MP TO TRODUCE BILL BANNG GAY NVERSN PRACTIC STATE
• GAY NVERSN PRACTIC TO BE OUTLAWED BY THE VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT
• SOUTH ATRALIA BE FAL STATE TO ABOLISH 'GAY PANIC' MURR FENCE
• WHY LGBTIQ+ ADVOT WANT ATRALIA'S 'GAY BLOOD BAN' TO ATRALIA IS PHG FOR AN END TO ATRALIA'S "GAY BLOOD BAN" FAVOUR OF A "MORE EQUABLE APPROACH" OF DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENTS.THOMAS BUXERE IS A GAY MAN WH A PARTNER OF 11 YEARS, AND N'T DONATE BLOOD UNR ATRALIA'S CURRENT L. SOURCE: SUPPLIED/THOMAS BUXEREWHEN THOMAS BUXERE HEARD THAT ATRALIA’S BLOOD SUPPLI WERE NNG LOW DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANMIC, HE WAS READY TO ROLL UP HIS SLEEVE AND HELP BY TAKG PART A BLOOD DONATN DRIVE AT HIS WORK.TO HIS DISAPPOTMENT, HE FOUND THAT AS A GAY MAN HE WOULD BE UNABLE TO GIVE BLOOD DUE TO THE ATRALIAN RED CROSS LIFEBLOOD SERVICE’S POLICY REQUIRG "MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN" TO ABSTA OM SEXUAL ACTIVY FOR THREE MONTHS BEFORE DONATG. WHILE MR BUXERE HAD BEEN BLOCKED OM DONATG BLOOD THE PAST DUE TO HIS SEXUALY, HE HAD CID TO CHECK HIS ELIGIBILY AGA ON THE RED CROSS WEBSE LIGHT OF THE PANMIC’S H TO THE BLOOD SUPPLY, HOPG THAT THE L HAD CHANGED. “I WAS ALMOST PLEASANTLY SURPRISED IALLY … THEY'VE GOT THIS REALLY NICE ELIGIBILY CHECKER THAT GO THROUGH A WHOLE RANGE OF QUTNS, FELT MORE MORN AND MORE APPROPRIATE. THEN I GOT TO THE SAME QUTN WHICH ASKED ME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SEXUAL PRACTIC," HE TOLD SBS NEWS. "AS A RULT, WAS AN IMMEDIATE ‘NO’. THERE WAS NO DIALOGUE … DIDN'T ASK ME WHETHER I'D TAKEN PART ANY RISKY BEHAVUR OR ANYTHG LIKE THAT. IT WAS JT, YOU KNOW, A RELATNSHIP BETWEEN A MAN AND A MAN, AND THAT'S , DONE. END OF STORY.” BEG BARRED OM DONATG BLOOD “MA ME FEEL HORRIBLE … LIKE WAS PURELY DISCRIMATN," THOMAS BUXERE SAID. SOURCE: AAPWHILE A RECENT CHANGE LIFEBLOOD’S POLICY RCED THE FERRAL PERD OM 12 MONTHS TO THREE MONTHS, MR BUXERE SAID HE STILL FEELS NEEDLSLY DISCRIMATED AGAST.  “IT MA ME FEEL HORRIBLE … LIKE WAS PURELY DISCRIMATN … THERE WAS NO SUBSTANCE, THERE WAS NO SCIENCE,” HE SAID. “THE FACT THAT YOU'RE A GAY MALE JT BANS YOU FOR THREE MONTHS ... REGARDLS OF WHETHER YOU ENGAGE SAFE SEX."A LABEL WAS PUT ON, AND AS A RULT, WAS THE END, THE END OF THE NVERSATN.”MR BUXERE WAS TRATED THAT HE WAS NOT ABLE TO DONATE LIFE-SAVG BLOOD TO HELP THE MUNY A TIME OF NEED. “THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT N BENEF OM MY BLOOD DONATN. AND DIDN'T MAKE SENSE AS A NATN, WHY WOULD YOU PREVENT SOMEONE WHO N HELP SOMEONE WHO'S GOT SAFE BLOOD? I DIDN'T GET THAT. I STILL DON'T GET THAT.”CAMPAIGN TO END 'GAY BLOOD BAN'LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS ADVOTE RODNEY CROOME HAS BEEN MPAIGNG FOR AN END TO THE “GAY BLOOD BAN” FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS."THE CURRENT BAN ON GAY BLOOD DONATN EFFECTIVELY SENDS A MSAGE THAT GAY MEN ARE A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH, AND THAT'S NO LONGER AN APPROPRIATE MSAGE TO SEND, IF EVER WAS, ATRALIAN SOCIETY," MR CROOME TOLD SBS NEWS.HE IS VOLVED A NEW PETN OM ATRALIA, A NATNAL LOBBY AND ADVOCY GROUP REPRENTG THE TERTS AND PRRI OF THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY, TLED 'MEDIL SCIENCE AND TERNATNAL EXPERIENCE SHOW OUR BLOOD IS SAFE'. READ MORERELAXED RTRICTNS ON LGBTIQ+ BLOOD DONORS AMID RONAVIS PANMIC NOT ENOUGH, ADVOT SAYTHE PETN LLS ON THE ATRALIAN RED CROSS LIFEBLOOD SERVICE AND THE THERAPTIC GOODS ADMISTRATN "TO STUTE A NEW DONOR POLICY THAT SCREENS POTENTIAL DONORS FOR THEIR DIVIDUAL RISK, NOT THE GENR OF THEIR SEXUAL PARTNER”. “THE CURRENT POLICY, IMPOSG AN ABSTENCE PERD ON GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENR AND GENR NON-NFORMG ATRALIANS WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN, LIMS THE SUPPLY OF SAFE BLOOD, AND STIGMATIS GAY, BI, TRANS AND NON-BARY PEOPLE AS A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH,” READS. “OUR PETN AIMS TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT ATRALIA IS IGNORG TERNATNAL REARCH AND BT PRACTICE WHEN TO A SAFE AND FAIR BLOOD SUPPLY,” MR CROOME SAID.  LIFEBLOOD'S CURRENT "FERRAL" POLICY IS STIGMATISG AND DISCRIMATORY, HE SAID.  “THE CURRENT POLICY OF BANNG ALL MEN AND TRANS WOMEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN OM BLOOD DONATN IS OBVLY DISCRIMATORY BEE BANS AN ENTIRE GROUP OF PEOPLE OM PROVIDG AN SENTIAL PUBLIC SERVICE. “BUT WORSE THAN THAT, STIGMATIS ALL GAY, BI AND TRANS PEOPLE AS A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH.”  ATRALIA 'FALLG BEHD'THE PETN FOLLOWS A REPORT MISSNED BY ATRALIA THAT REVIEWS CURRENT DATA AND MOLLG AND PAR BANS ON GAY BLOOD DONATN, SUCH AS ATRALIA'S, WH A POLICY OF SCREENG DONORS FOR THEIR DIVIDUAL RISK. “ATRALIA, TERTGLY ENOUGH, WAS THE FIRST UNTRY TO REMOVE A LIFETIME BAN ON DONATNS OM PEOPLE WHO ARE EMED TO BE ‘MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN’, AND OTHER UNTRI THEN FOLLOWED SU,” REPORT THOR DR SHARON DANE TOLD SBS NEWS. DR SHARON DANE SAYS THE LATT REARCH SHOWS THE BLOOD BAN IS UNNECSARY. SOURCE: SBS NEWSHOWEVER, THE NATN IS NOW “FALLG BEHD”, SHE SAID, AS OTHER UNTRI CLUDG THE UNED KGDOM HAVE MOVED AWAY OM A POLICY OF A “FERRAL PERD” FAVOUR OF A “MORE EQUABLE APPROACH, WHICH IS THAT EVERYONE, IRRPECTIVE OF THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN, THEIR GENR OR THEIR PARTNER'S GENR, IS ASKED TO DO WHAT YOU LL AN DIVIDUAL ASSSMENT”. “SO THE RISK IS BASED ON YOUR SEXUAL BEHAVUR, RATHER THAN THE GROUP OF PEOPLE YOU BELONG TO. SO THIS STANCE, WHILE ATRALIA WAS A LEAR IALLY, IS NOW FALLG BEHD OTHERS.”THE LATT TERNATNAL REARCH SHOWS THERE IS NO MEANGFUL RISK ATTACHED TO LIFTG THE CURRENT ABSTENCE REQUIREMENT FOR BLOOD DONATN BY MEN, AND TRANS WOMEN, WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN, AND REPLACG WH A NEW POLICY OF SCREENG DONORS FOR THEIR DIVIDUAL SEXUAL SAFETY, DR DANE SAID.  "MOLLG SUGGTS THIS WOULD ACTUALLY CREASE THE AMOUNT OF SAFE BLOOD AVAILABLE TO THOSE NEED OF BLOOD PRODUCTS." INDIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENTS REJECTEDLIFEBLOOD TOLD SBS NEWS THAT DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENTS ARE “NOT THE SAFT APPROACH AT THIS TIME” ATRALIA. “IN ATRALIA, A MAN HAS TO WA UNTIL THREE MONTHS AFTER THEIR LAST SEXUAL NTACT WH ANOTHER MAN BEFORE THEY N DONATE BLOOD. THIS IS BEE THE LATT ATRALIAN DATA SHOWS THERE'S STILL A MUCH HIGHER RISK OF NEWLY ACQUIRED HIV FECTNS AMONGST MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN,” A LIFEBLOOD SPOKPERSON SAID.READ MORERED CROSS LLS FOR THOANDS OF NEW BLOOD DONORS TO AVOID AN ATRALIA-WI HOLIDAY SHORTAGE“WHILE WE TT ALL BLOOD DONATNS, EVEN THE VERY BT TTG [WHICH LIFEBLOOD ] N’T ALWAYS PICK UP EARLY FECTNS. SO, WE ASK PEOPLE TO WA BEFORE DONATG SO WE N ENSURE RECIPIENTS OF BLOOD ARE AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE OM LIFE-CHANGG FECTNS LIKE HIV.“WE NSIRED DIVIDUAL ASSSMENTS AS PART OF OUR RECENT REVIEW, BUT THEY REQUIRE A MORE EVEN DISTRIBUTN OF NEW HIV FECTNS ACROSS A UNTRY’S WHOLE POPULATN.” LIFEBLOOD TOLD SBS NEWS WOULD “NTUE TO MONOR AND REVIEW THE EVINCE RELATN TO DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT” AND THAT THE ANISATN IS “EXPLORG OTHER PATHWAYS TO BROAN DONOR ELIGIBILY AND HOPE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE MORE ABOUT THE THE NEAR FUTURE”.THE PANMIC HAS SEEN BLOOD SUPPLI TAKE A H. SOURCE: RED CROSS LIFEBLOODMR CROOME SAID THAT WHILE IS “TE THE MAJORY OF NEW HIV FECTNS ARE AMONG GAY MEN” WHAT LIFEBLOOD “FAILS TO NOTE IS THAT THE OVERWHELMG MAJORY OF GAY MEN DO NOT HAVE, AND WILL NEVER HAVE HIV, BEE THEY HAVE SAFE SEX AND/OR THEY ARE MONOGAMO”.“THIS IS PRECISELY THE DISTCTN THAT DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT IS SIGNED TO DRAW, BETWEEN THOSE WHO ARE SAFE TO GIVE BLOOD AND THOSE WHO AREN’T, BY ASKG ABOUT SEXUAL ACTIVY THAT ACTUALLY RISK,” HE SAID. “THAT DISTCTN APPLI EQUALLY TO HETEROSEXUAL PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT ONLY BE AT RISK OF NTRACTG AND PASSG ON HIV BUT ALSO OTHER BLOOD-BORNE DISEAS.”  IS TERTED TO TALK TO THE RED CROSS LIFEBLOOD SERVICE ABOUT THE OPTNS IS NSIRG, BUT BELIEV THE ONLY WAY TO ENSURE A SAFER, LS DISCRIMATORY BLOOD SUPPLY IS DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT, MR CROOME SAID.AN ATRALIAN RED CROSS BLOOD DONOR CENTRE. SOURCE: ATRALIAN RED CROSS LIFEBLOODTGA TOLD SBS NEWS WAS “AWARE OF THE PETN AND IS REVIEWG THE REPORT MISSNED BY ;.  “THE TGA UNRSTANDS LIFEBLOOD CURRENTLY NSIRS THAT [THE] DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT APPROACH IS NOT THE SAFT APPROACH AT THIS TIME ATRALIA.  THIS IS DUE TO AN UNEVEN DISTRIBUTN OF NEW HIV FECTNS ACROSS THE ATRALIAN POPULATN,” A TGA SPOKPERSON SAID. “LIFEBLOOD ARE EXPLORG OTHER PATHWAYS TO BROAN DONOR ELIGIBILY. THE TGA WILL NSIR ANY SUBMISSN OM A SPONSOR TO CHANGE S APPROACH TO THE FERRAL PERD, BASED ON DATA TO SUPPORT THE SAFETY OF SUCH A CHANGE.”SHARE8 M READPUBLISHED 29 OCTOBER 2021 7:13AMUPDATED 29 APRIL 2022 6:44AMBY ISABELLE LANESOURCE: SBS NEWSTAGSATRALIAATRALIASHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHAREREMEND FOR YOU
• ATRALIAN STATE MULLS NATN'S FIRST GAY 'NVERSN THERAPY' BAN
• THE US HAS BEE THE LATT NATN TO REMOVE S 'GAY BLOOD BAN'. WILL ATRALIA FOLLOW?THE UN STAT IS JOG UNTRI SUCH AS THE UNED KGDOM AND CANADA EASG S BLOOD DONATN RTRICTNS. WHY DON'T ATRALIA?SEVERAL NATNS HAVE EASED BLOOD DONATN RTRICTNS FOR MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN (MSMS). SOURCE: AAP / DAN HIMBRECHTSKEY POTSATRALIA HAS RTRICTNS ON BLOOD DONATNS OM GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN, TRODUCED THE 1980SRIGHTS ADVOT WANT ATRALIA TO ADOPT THE SAME DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT POLICY AS THE US, CANADA AND UK.CHANGG ATRALIA'S BLOOD DONATN L VOLV A "QUE PLEX" PROCS.THE UNED STAT' FOOD AND DG ADMISTRATN (FDA) ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK WOULD EASE S RTRICTNS ON BLOOD DONATNS FOR MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN (MSM) AFTER PREV SCREENG L WERE LABELLED "HOMOPHOBIC".UNR THE CHANG, ALL PROSPECTIVE DONORS, REGARDLS OF THEIR SEX, GENR OR SEXUAL ORIENTATN, WILL BE ASKED A SERI OF QUTNS ABOUT THEIR LIFTYLE TO TERME THEIR ELIGIBILY — A PRACTICE KNOWN AS AN DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT.IF THEY'VE HAD ANAL SEX WH NEW OR MULTIPLE PARTNERS THE PAST THREE MONTHS, THEY WON'T BE ALLOWED TO GIVE BLOOD. THOSE WHO HAVE TAKEN PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS (PREP) OR POST-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS (PEP) — MEDITNS ED TO PREVENT HIV FECTN — MT ALSO FER DONATG BLOOD.THE POLICY CHANGE BRGS THE US POLICY LE WH UNTRI LIKE CANADA AND THE UNED KGDOM.READ MOREJOE WANTS TO DONATE BLOOD. HE N'T BEE OF HIS SEXUALYLET US GIVE MPAIGN SPOKPERSON RODNEY CROOME SAID ALSO HIGHLIGHTED HOW ATRALIA WAS "SLIPPG FURTHER AND FURTHER BEHD BT PRACTICE"."THE CURRENT ATRALIAN GAY BLOOD BAN FEELS LIKE A SLAP THE FACE," HE TOLD SBS NEWS."IT SENDS A MSAGE THAT GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN ARE A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH, AND OUR NTRIBUTN TO SAVG THE LIV OF OTHERS ISN'T WELE. THAT'S A VERY STIGMATISG MSAGE — 'S BASILLY THAT WE'RE STILL SEND CLASS CIZENS."THE OTHER IMPACT OF THE CURRENT POLICY IS THAT MEANS THERE'S LS SAFE BLOOD AVAILABLE TO SAVE THE LIV OF THOSE NEED."MR CROOME SAID HE'D LIKE TO SEE ATRALIA ADOPT THE SAME DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT POLICY AS THE US, CANADA AND UK.WHAT ARE ATRALIA'S BLOOD DONATN L AROUND SEXUAL ACTIVY?MORE THAN 1.7 LN BLOOD DONATNS ARE NEED EVERY YEAR TO MEET MAND, ACRDG TO THE ATRALIAN RED CROSS' LIFEBLOOD ANISATN.BUT THERE ARE CERTA L PLACE TERMG WHO N AND N'T GIVE BLOOD, ORR TO MATA THE SAFETY OF THE SUPPLY.RTRICTNS FOR GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN WERE TRODUCED THE 1980S AT THE HEIGHT OF THE HIV/AIDS EPIMIC OVER NCERNS OF TRANSMISSN THROUGH TRANSFN.WHILE THE L HAVE SOMEWHAT EASED SCE THEN, MOST MSMS AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE SEX WH MSMS ARE STILL ELIGIBLE TO GIVE BLOOD, AS THE TTS PERFORMED ON THEIR DONATNS ARE UNABLE TO TECT EARLY HIV FECTNS.CURRENTLY, ANYONE WHO ANSWERS 'Y' TO ANY OF THE QUTNS WILL HAVE TO WA THREE MONTHS BEFORE THEY'RE ALLOWED TO DONATE:HAD ORAL OR ANAL SEX WH ANOTHER MAN?HAD SEX WH A MALE WHO YOU THK MAY HAVE HAD ORAL OR ANAL SEX WH ANOTHER MAN?BEEN A MALE OR FEMALE SEX WORKER OR HAD SEX WH ONE?ENGAGED SEXUAL ACTIVY WH SOMEONE WHO EVER JECTED DGS NOT PRCRIBED BY A DOCTOR OR NTIST?ENGAGED SEXUAL ACTIVY WH SOMEONE WHO WAS FOUND TO HAVE HIV, HEPATIS B, HEPATIS C OR HUMAN T-LYMPHOTROPIC VIS (HTLV) FECTN?YOU MAY ALSO NEED TO WA TO DONATE IF YOU’VE HAD SEX WH A NEW PARTNER WHO LIV OR LIVED OVERSEAS, PENDG ON THE LEVEL OF HIV RISK THAT UNTRY.THERE ARE OTHER ELIGIBILY REQUIREMENTS TO BE ABLE TO DONATE BLOOD ATRALIA, AS WELL.HOW ARE ATRALIA'S BLOOD DONATN L CHANGED?LIFEBLOOD CHIEF MEDIL OFFICER DR JOANNE PK SAID ATRALIA'S APPROVAL PROCS FOR CHANG TO BLOOD SAFETY L WAS "QUE PLEX".THE FIRST STEP VOLV LIFEBLOOD MAKG A SUBMISSN TO THE THERAPTIC GOODS ADMISTRATN, ADVOTG FOR A CHANGE TO TAKE PLACE.IF THE TGA APPROV THE SUBMISSN, AGREEMENT THEN NEEDS TO BE SOUGHT OM STATE AND TERRORY ERNMENTS, AS WELL AS GLOBAL BTECH PANY CSL BEHRG, BEFORE IS IMPLEMENTED.READ MORE'BREAK THE STIGMA': BLOOD DONATNS ENURAGED FOR MIGRANTS ATRALIA AMID WORLD RERD ATTEMPTEARLIER THIS YEAR, LIFEBLOOD MA A SUBMISSN TO THE TGA PROPOSG ALL SEXUAL ACTIVY L BE REMOVED FOR PLASMA DONATN, CLUDG FOR THOSE TAKG PREP."WHAT'S REALLY EXCG ABOUT PLASMA IS THAT 'S GOT AN ADDNAL SAFETY PLANT LLED PATHOGEN ACTIVATN, AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THEY E A PROCS WHICH N KILL OFF OR REMOVE VIS AND BACTERIA," DR PK TOLD SBS NEWS."THAT PARTICULAR PROCS IS NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FOR RED CELLS, SO WE'VE GOT MORE OPTNS WH PLASMA."TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THIS APPROACH WHOUT IMPACTG ON PATIENT SAFETY IS A POWERFUL AND CLIVE WAY TO POTENTIALLY ALLOW MORE PEOPLE ATRALIA TO HELP OTHERS."A TGA SPOKPERSON NFIRMED THE APPLITN WAS CURRENTLY BEG ASSSED."A CISN BY TGA IS EXPECTED THE NEAR FUTURE," THEY TOLD SBS NEWS A STATEMENT.MR CROOME SAID WHILE ANY CREASE ATRALIA'S BLOOD PRODUCT SUPPLY WOULD BE WELE, OTHER UNTRI' EXPERIENC SHOWED REMOVG L FOR PLASMA DONATN DIDN'T ADDRS THE MA PROBLEM."THE ISSUE IS NTUED DISCRIMATN THE SUPPLY OF WHOLE BLOOD, AND THE FACT THAT WHOLE BLOOD IS WHAT IS REGULARLY SHORT SUPPLY," HE SAID."IN CANADA AND ISRAEL THE LAST FEW YEARS, THEY ALLOWED GAY MEN TO GIVE PLASMA, BUT NOT WHOLE BLOOD, AND BOTH OF THOSE UNTRI, THEY FOUND THAT THAT WASN'T THE SOLUTN."PLASMA DONATN IS A MUCH MORE TIME NSUMG AND DIFFICULT PROCS THAN DONATG WHOLE BLOOD … SO THE AMOUNT OF PLASMA GIVEN DIDN'T CREASE VERY MUCH, AND OF URSE, THERE STILL NTUED TO BE A SHORTAGE OF WHOLE BLOOD AND DISCRIMATN THE LLECTN OF WHOLE BLOOD."ISRAEL AND CANADA ABANDONED THAT PATHWAY VERY QUICKLY, AND BOTH UNTRI MOVED ON TO ALLOWG GAY MEN TO DONATE WHOLE BLOOD."WILL LIFEBLOOD REMEND CHANG FOR MSM WHOLE BLOOD DONATN?LIFEBLOOD RECENTLY TABLISHED A REARCH ADVISORY PANEL TO CI WHETHER TO REMEND DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT FOR BLOOD DONATNS, AND IF SO, HOW ULD BE BT ADAPTED TO SU ATRALIA.DR PK SAID SHE EXPECTED WOULD TAKE ONE TO TWO YEARS FOR LIFEBLOOD TO PLETE THE REARCH NEED TO REACH S CISN, BEFORE A SUBMISSN TO THE TGA WAS EVEN NSIRED."WE KNOW PEOPLE WANT CHANGE ON THIS LE, AND WE DO, TOO," SHE SAID.BUT ATRALIA ULDN'T SIMPLY TRODUCE NEW BLOOD SAFETY L BEE OTHER UNTRI HAD, DR PK SAID."IT IS IMPORTANT TO NSIR LOL HEALTH DATA, SUCH AS, FOR EXAMPLE, HOW MON HIV IS ACROSS THE POPULATN, AND WHETHER THERE ARE PARTICULAR GROUPS OF DIVIDUALS WHO MAY HAVE A HIGHER CHANCE OF RRYG THE FECTN," SHE SAID."WH ATRALIA, THERE ARE TWO MA GROUPS WHO HAVE A HIGHER RISK OF HIV, THAT'S GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN, BUT ALSO, THERE IS A HIGHER RISK HETEROSEXUALS WHO HAVE A SEXUAL PARTNER OM A UNTRY WH A HIGHER RISK OF HIV."THE UNTRI THAT TYPILLY HAVE IMPLEMENTED DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT HAVE A MORE EVEN DISTRIBUTN OF HIV ACROSS THE POPULATN."READ MOREDOLLY'S JOB HAS NEVER BEEN MORE DANGERO THAN IS NOW. SHE'S REFG TO LET STOP HERMR CROOME SAID LIFEBLOOD WAS BEG "OVERLY UT" ON THE ISSUE AND NEED TO ACT "MUCH MORE QUICKLY"."THERE IS ALMOST NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MOGRAPHICS OF HIV FECTN CANADA AND ATRALIA. AMONGST MEN, 'S ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME," HE SAID.THE REAL SAFETY RISK ME OM THOSE WHO WERE NEWLY FECTED WH HIV, REGARDLS OF THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN, MR CROOME SAID."THE NEW FECTN RATE AMONGST GAY MEN IS GOG DOWN TO TO POT WHERE THE RISK OF HIV TRANSMISSN THROUGH BLOOD DONATN IS STATISTILLY NEGLIGIBLE," HE SAID.SHARE7 M READPUBLISHED 16 MAY 2023 6:01AMBY AMY HALLSOURCE: SBS NEWSAVAILABLE OTHER LANGUAGTAGSHEALTHATRALIASHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHAREREMEND FOR YOU
• ATRALIA TO STOP RELIG SCHOOLS REJECTG GAY STUNTS
• SHOULD ATRALIA END RTRICTNS ON GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN DONATG BLOOD?
• VICTORIA BANS GAY NVERSN PRACTIC AFTER 12-HOUR BATE
• BILL TO BAN GAY NVERSN AND REFORM DISCRIMATN LAWS ULD HELP CI NEXT NSW ERNMENT: MP
• PH TO LIFT GAY BLOOD DONATN BAN AMID SHORTAGE
• VICTORIAN BILL BANNG GAY NVERSN THERAPY PASS UPPER HOE AS AMENDMENTS FAIL
• GAY BRISBANE

HERE IS WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT VICTORIA'S GAY NVERSN BILL

Image source, Getty ImagImage ptn, Crics say the bill will further entrench discrimatory hirg practicAtralia has troduced a new ntroversial bill aimed at protectg relig people om "ncel culture" other thgs, would allow Catholic schools the right to fire teachers or expel gay stunts the name of "relig ethos" Mister Stt Morrison said the Relig Discrimatn Bill, if passed, would ensure protectn for relig people and anisatns, like church, to exprs beliefs. Equaly Atralia, a gay rights advocy group told the ABC earlier this week: "When… a nurse says to a patient wh HIV that their HIV is a punishment by God, for example…[that] uld nstute a statement of belief, would be protected unr the law unr this bill.

The topic of relig discrimatn has been at the centre of several public bat recent years, particularly the wake of Atralia passg same-sex marriage legislatn triggered a ernment quiry - led by nservativ - to whether relig groups felt their right to exprsn was beg like gby player Israel Fol beg sacked om the natnal Wallabi si for sayg on his Instagram that "hell awas" gay people have also spurred the Atralian ernment was cricised earlier this year for awardg an Orr of Atralia honour to tennis player Margaret Court, who has publicly exprsed anti-gay state premiers at the time said Canberra should not have award her the Mr Morrison, a Pentestal Christian, has creasgly rid ncerns about discrimatn as "ncel culture". (ABC News: Alex Lewis)No matter how hard he tried to "pray the gay away", nversn practic, cludg fastg and exorcisms, failed to stifle his homosexualy.

The Victorian Government is nsultg gay nversn 'therapy' survivors as prepar legislatn to outlaw the pots:LGBTQA+ nversn practic have been banned some jurisdictns but are still happeng rmallySurvivors say new laws need to make rmal nversn practic illegalVictorian Attorney-General Jill Hennsy says the Government is nsultg survivors and relig anisatnsConversn 'therapy' is based on false iology that a person's genr or sexual inty n be changed or supprsed through practic rangg om psychiatric treatments such as electro-nvulsn therapy to unsellg therapi and spirual terventn. "We're banng so-lled nversn 'therapy' and makg sure the laws we put place end this harmful, cel, and bigoted practice once and for all, " Ms Hennsy the age of 15, Patrick McIvor was told he was 'sexually broken' and as an adult he tried everythg he uld to be the 33-year-old, who now intifi as gay, believ he was livg a lie first phed on him by a pastor at his former church.

NSW MP TO TRODUCE BILL BANNG GAY NVERSN PRACTIC STATE

"No one 'villa'On the advice of this pastor, Mr McIvor ntacted an ternatnal anisatn who ran a gay nversn program, which turn referred him to a lol unsellor eastern Victoria.

"It is the formal and rmal practic that survivors want outlawed a year of fortnightly meetgs wh a unsellor, Mr McIvor went on to marry his wife on the premise of supprsg his eventually left anised relign, me out aga as gay, and amibly separated om his wife.

South Atralia has bee the last state to abolish the so-lled "gay panic" provotn fence, wh legislatn passg State Parliament late on pots:The gay panic fence allows a charge of murr to be downgrad to manslghter certa circumstancSouth Atralian Parliament has abolished Queensland was the send to last state to get rid of The fence uld prevly be ed by a crimal urt to downgra a charge of murr to one of manslghter certa circumstanc, cludg where a fendant uld prove they were provoked to vlence by a homosexual Atralia's Law Reform Instute sctised the gay panic fence two reports, before remendg 2018 that be abolished by the State Government. "Sometim referred to as the 'gay panic' fence, has been ntroversial s e by acced persons who have perpetrated vlence agast members of the gay muny.

GAY NVERSN PRACTIC TO BE OUTLAWED BY THE VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT

When Thomas Buxere heard that Atralia’s blood suppli were nng low due to the COVID-19 panmic, he was ready to roll up his sleeve and help by takg part a blood donatn drive at his his disappotment, he found that as a gay man he would be unable to give blood due to the Atralian Red Cross Lifeblood service’s policy requirg "men who have sex wh men" to absta om sexual activy for three months before donatg.

SOUTH ATRALIA BE FAL STATE TO ABOLISH 'GAY PANIC' MURR FENCE

"The current ban on gay blood donatn effectively sends a msage that gay men are a threat to public health, and that's no longer an appropriate msage to send, if ever was, Atralian society, " Mr Croome told SBS is volved a new petn om Atralia, a natnal lobby and advocy group reprentg the terts and prri of the LGBTIQ+ muny, tled. “The current policy, imposg an abstence perd on gay, bisexual, transgenr and genr non-nformg Atralians who have sex wh men, lims the supply of safe blood, and stigmatis gay, bi, trans and non-bary people as a threat to public health, ” reads. ” Atralia 'fallg behd'The petn follows a missned by Atralia that reviews current data and mollg and par bans on gay blood donatn, such as Atralia's, wh a policy of screeng donors for their dividual risk.

Source: Red Cross LifebloodMr Croome said that while is “te the majory of new HIV fectns are among gay men” what Lifeblood “fails to note is that the overwhelmg majory of gay men do not have, and will never have HIV, bee they have safe sex and/or they are monogamo”. KUALA LUMPUR (Thomson Rters Foundatn) - An Atralian state is nsirg the natn’s first ban and jail sentenc for so-lled gay nversn therapy, a bid that has sparked divisn more than two years after the untry legalised same-sex northeastern state of Queensland troduced a bill November that would prohib nversn therapy, wh s top health official labellg the practice “highly stctive”.

WHY LGBTIQ+ ADVOT WANT ATRALIA'S 'GAY BLOOD BAN' TO ATRALIA IS PHG FOR AN END TO ATRALIA'S "GAY BLOOD BAN" FAVOUR OF A "MORE EQUABLE APPROACH" OF DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENTS.THOMAS BUXERE IS A GAY MAN WH A PARTNER OF 11 YEARS, AND N'T DONATE BLOOD UNR ATRALIA'S CURRENT L. SOURCE: SUPPLIED/THOMAS BUXEREWHEN THOMAS BUXERE HEARD THAT ATRALIA’S BLOOD SUPPLI WERE NNG LOW DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANMIC, HE WAS READY TO ROLL UP HIS SLEEVE AND HELP BY TAKG PART A BLOOD DONATN DRIVE AT HIS WORK.TO HIS DISAPPOTMENT, HE FOUND THAT AS A GAY MAN HE WOULD BE UNABLE TO GIVE BLOOD DUE TO THE ATRALIAN RED CROSS LIFEBLOOD SERVICE’S POLICY REQUIRG "MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN" TO ABSTA OM SEXUAL ACTIVY FOR THREE MONTHS BEFORE DONATG. WHILE MR BUXERE HAD BEEN BLOCKED OM DONATG BLOOD THE PAST DUE TO HIS SEXUALY, HE HAD CID TO CHECK HIS ELIGIBILY AGA ON THE RED CROSS WEBSE LIGHT OF THE PANMIC’S H TO THE BLOOD SUPPLY, HOPG THAT THE L HAD CHANGED. “I WAS ALMOST PLEASANTLY SURPRISED IALLY … THEY'VE GOT THIS REALLY NICE ELIGIBILY CHECKER THAT GO THROUGH A WHOLE RANGE OF QUTNS, FELT MORE MORN AND MORE APPROPRIATE. THEN I GOT TO THE SAME QUTN WHICH ASKED ME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SEXUAL PRACTIC," HE TOLD SBS NEWS. "AS A RULT, WAS AN IMMEDIATE ‘NO’. THERE WAS NO DIALOGUE … DIDN'T ASK ME WHETHER I'D TAKEN PART ANY RISKY BEHAVUR OR ANYTHG LIKE THAT. IT WAS JT, YOU KNOW, A RELATNSHIP BETWEEN A MAN AND A MAN, AND THAT'S , DONE. END OF STORY.” BEG BARRED OM DONATG BLOOD “MA ME FEEL HORRIBLE … LIKE WAS PURELY DISCRIMATN," THOMAS BUXERE SAID. SOURCE: AAPWHILE A RECENT CHANGE LIFEBLOOD’S POLICY RCED THE FERRAL PERD OM 12 MONTHS TO THREE MONTHS, MR BUXERE SAID HE STILL FEELS NEEDLSLY DISCRIMATED AGAST.  “IT MA ME FEEL HORRIBLE … LIKE WAS PURELY DISCRIMATN … THERE WAS NO SUBSTANCE, THERE WAS NO SCIENCE,” HE SAID. “THE FACT THAT YOU'RE A GAY MALE JT BANS YOU FOR THREE MONTHS ... REGARDLS OF WHETHER YOU ENGAGE SAFE SEX."A LABEL WAS PUT ON, AND AS A RULT, WAS THE END, THE END OF THE NVERSATN.”MR BUXERE WAS TRATED THAT HE WAS NOT ABLE TO DONATE LIFE-SAVG BLOOD TO HELP THE MUNY A TIME OF NEED. “THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT N BENEF OM MY BLOOD DONATN. AND DIDN'T MAKE SENSE AS A NATN, WHY WOULD YOU PREVENT SOMEONE WHO N HELP SOMEONE WHO'S GOT SAFE BLOOD? I DIDN'T GET THAT. I STILL DON'T GET THAT.”CAMPAIGN TO END 'GAY BLOOD BAN'LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS ADVOTE RODNEY CROOME HAS BEEN MPAIGNG FOR AN END TO THE “GAY BLOOD BAN” FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS."THE CURRENT BAN ON GAY BLOOD DONATN EFFECTIVELY SENDS A MSAGE THAT GAY MEN ARE A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH, AND THAT'S NO LONGER AN APPROPRIATE MSAGE TO SEND, IF EVER WAS, ATRALIAN SOCIETY," MR CROOME TOLD SBS NEWS.HE IS VOLVED A NEW PETN OM ATRALIA, A NATNAL LOBBY AND ADVOCY GROUP REPRENTG THE TERTS AND PRRI OF THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY, TLED 'MEDIL SCIENCE AND TERNATNAL EXPERIENCE SHOW OUR BLOOD IS SAFE'. READ MORERELAXED RTRICTNS ON LGBTIQ+ BLOOD DONORS AMID RONAVIS PANMIC NOT ENOUGH, ADVOT SAYTHE PETN LLS ON THE ATRALIAN RED CROSS LIFEBLOOD SERVICE AND THE THERAPTIC GOODS ADMISTRATN "TO STUTE A NEW DONOR POLICY THAT SCREENS POTENTIAL DONORS FOR THEIR DIVIDUAL RISK, NOT THE GENR OF THEIR SEXUAL PARTNER”. “THE CURRENT POLICY, IMPOSG AN ABSTENCE PERD ON GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENR AND GENR NON-NFORMG ATRALIANS WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN, LIMS THE SUPPLY OF SAFE BLOOD, AND STIGMATIS GAY, BI, TRANS AND NON-BARY PEOPLE AS A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH,” READS. “OUR PETN AIMS TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT ATRALIA IS IGNORG TERNATNAL REARCH AND BT PRACTICE WHEN TO A SAFE AND FAIR BLOOD SUPPLY,” MR CROOME SAID.  LIFEBLOOD'S CURRENT "FERRAL" POLICY IS STIGMATISG AND DISCRIMATORY, HE SAID.  “THE CURRENT POLICY OF BANNG ALL MEN AND TRANS WOMEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN OM BLOOD DONATN IS OBVLY DISCRIMATORY BEE BANS AN ENTIRE GROUP OF PEOPLE OM PROVIDG AN SENTIAL PUBLIC SERVICE. “BUT WORSE THAN THAT, STIGMATIS ALL GAY, BI AND TRANS PEOPLE AS A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH.”  ATRALIA 'FALLG BEHD'THE PETN FOLLOWS A REPORT MISSNED BY ATRALIA THAT REVIEWS CURRENT DATA AND MOLLG AND PAR BANS ON GAY BLOOD DONATN, SUCH AS ATRALIA'S, WH A POLICY OF SCREENG DONORS FOR THEIR DIVIDUAL RISK. “ATRALIA, TERTGLY ENOUGH, WAS THE FIRST UNTRY TO REMOVE A LIFETIME BAN ON DONATNS OM PEOPLE WHO ARE EMED TO BE ‘MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN’, AND OTHER UNTRI THEN FOLLOWED SU,” REPORT THOR DR SHARON DANE TOLD SBS NEWS. DR SHARON DANE SAYS THE LATT REARCH SHOWS THE BLOOD BAN IS UNNECSARY. SOURCE: SBS NEWSHOWEVER, THE NATN IS NOW “FALLG BEHD”, SHE SAID, AS OTHER UNTRI CLUDG THE UNED KGDOM HAVE MOVED AWAY OM A POLICY OF A “FERRAL PERD” FAVOUR OF A “MORE EQUABLE APPROACH, WHICH IS THAT EVERYONE, IRRPECTIVE OF THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN, THEIR GENR OR THEIR PARTNER'S GENR, IS ASKED TO DO WHAT YOU LL AN DIVIDUAL ASSSMENT”. “SO THE RISK IS BASED ON YOUR SEXUAL BEHAVUR, RATHER THAN THE GROUP OF PEOPLE YOU BELONG TO. SO THIS STANCE, WHILE ATRALIA WAS A LEAR IALLY, IS NOW FALLG BEHD OTHERS.”THE LATT TERNATNAL REARCH SHOWS THERE IS NO MEANGFUL RISK ATTACHED TO LIFTG THE CURRENT ABSTENCE REQUIREMENT FOR BLOOD DONATN BY MEN, AND TRANS WOMEN, WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN, AND REPLACG WH A NEW POLICY OF SCREENG DONORS FOR THEIR DIVIDUAL SEXUAL SAFETY, DR DANE SAID.  "MOLLG SUGGTS THIS WOULD ACTUALLY CREASE THE AMOUNT OF SAFE BLOOD AVAILABLE TO THOSE NEED OF BLOOD PRODUCTS." INDIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENTS REJECTEDLIFEBLOOD TOLD SBS NEWS THAT DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENTS ARE “NOT THE SAFT APPROACH AT THIS TIME” ATRALIA. “IN ATRALIA, A MAN HAS TO WA UNTIL THREE MONTHS AFTER THEIR LAST SEXUAL NTACT WH ANOTHER MAN BEFORE THEY N DONATE BLOOD. THIS IS BEE THE LATT ATRALIAN DATA SHOWS THERE'S STILL A MUCH HIGHER RISK OF NEWLY ACQUIRED HIV FECTNS AMONGST MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN,” A LIFEBLOOD SPOKPERSON SAID.READ MORERED CROSS LLS FOR THOANDS OF NEW BLOOD DONORS TO AVOID AN ATRALIA-WI HOLIDAY SHORTAGE“WHILE WE TT ALL BLOOD DONATNS, EVEN THE VERY BT TTG [WHICH LIFEBLOOD ] N’T ALWAYS PICK UP EARLY FECTNS. SO, WE ASK PEOPLE TO WA BEFORE DONATG SO WE N ENSURE RECIPIENTS OF BLOOD ARE AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE OM LIFE-CHANGG FECTNS LIKE HIV.“WE NSIRED DIVIDUAL ASSSMENTS AS PART OF OUR RECENT REVIEW, BUT THEY REQUIRE A MORE EVEN DISTRIBUTN OF NEW HIV FECTNS ACROSS A UNTRY’S WHOLE POPULATN.” LIFEBLOOD TOLD SBS NEWS WOULD “NTUE TO MONOR AND REVIEW THE EVINCE RELATN TO DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT” AND THAT THE ANISATN IS “EXPLORG OTHER PATHWAYS TO BROAN DONOR ELIGIBILY AND HOPE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE MORE ABOUT THE THE NEAR FUTURE”.THE PANMIC HAS SEEN BLOOD SUPPLI TAKE A H. SOURCE: RED CROSS LIFEBLOODMR CROOME SAID THAT WHILE IS “TE THE MAJORY OF NEW HIV FECTNS ARE AMONG GAY MEN” WHAT LIFEBLOOD “FAILS TO NOTE IS THAT THE OVERWHELMG MAJORY OF GAY MEN DO NOT HAVE, AND WILL NEVER HAVE HIV, BEE THEY HAVE SAFE SEX AND/OR THEY ARE MONOGAMO”.“THIS IS PRECISELY THE DISTCTN THAT DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT IS SIGNED TO DRAW, BETWEEN THOSE WHO ARE SAFE TO GIVE BLOOD AND THOSE WHO AREN’T, BY ASKG ABOUT SEXUAL ACTIVY THAT ACTUALLY RISK,” HE SAID. “THAT DISTCTN APPLI EQUALLY TO HETEROSEXUAL PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT ONLY BE AT RISK OF NTRACTG AND PASSG ON HIV BUT ALSO OTHER BLOOD-BORNE DISEAS.”  IS TERTED TO TALK TO THE RED CROSS LIFEBLOOD SERVICE ABOUT THE OPTNS IS NSIRG, BUT BELIEV THE ONLY WAY TO ENSURE A SAFER, LS DISCRIMATORY BLOOD SUPPLY IS DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT, MR CROOME SAID.AN ATRALIAN RED CROSS BLOOD DONOR CENTRE. SOURCE: ATRALIAN RED CROSS LIFEBLOODTGA TOLD SBS NEWS WAS “AWARE OF THE PETN AND IS REVIEWG THE REPORT MISSNED BY ;.  “THE TGA UNRSTANDS LIFEBLOOD CURRENTLY NSIRS THAT [THE] DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT APPROACH IS NOT THE SAFT APPROACH AT THIS TIME ATRALIA.  THIS IS DUE TO AN UNEVEN DISTRIBUTN OF NEW HIV FECTNS ACROSS THE ATRALIAN POPULATN,” A TGA SPOKPERSON SAID. “LIFEBLOOD ARE EXPLORG OTHER PATHWAYS TO BROAN DONOR ELIGIBILY. THE TGA WILL NSIR ANY SUBMISSN OM A SPONSOR TO CHANGE S APPROACH TO THE FERRAL PERD, BASED ON DATA TO SUPPORT THE SAFETY OF SUCH A CHANGE.”SHARE8 M READPUBLISHED 29 OCTOBER 2021 7:13AMUPDATED 29 APRIL 2022 6:44AMBY ISABELLE LANESOURCE: SBS NEWSTAGSATRALIAATRALIASHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHAREREMEND FOR YOU

“It’s ground-breakg bee will be Atralia’s first gay nversn therapy ban if the law is passed Queensland, ” said Shelley Argent, a spokwoman om the advocy group Parents and Friends of Lbians and Gays Atralia. “Practic that try to change or supprs a person’s sexual orientatn or their genr inty have always been immoral and uhil, ” the state’s Health Mister Steven Mil said last year, llg the practice “highly stctive” mister’s office did not immediately reply to a requt seekg ment on Friday’s move to ban nversn therapy me after Atralia allowed same-sex marriage December 2017 a untry where some stat led homosexual acts to be illegal until 20 years ago. Fdgs by La Trobe Universy, the Human Rights Law Centre and Gay and Lbian Health Victoria show nversn therapy “remas a real problem Atralian relig muni, ” wh at least 10 anisatns across Atralia and New Zealand actively advertisg the psdoscientific practice.

ATRALIAN STATE MULLS NATN'S FIRST GAY 'NVERSN THERAPY' BAN

Key PotsAtralia has rtrictns on blood donatns om gay and bisexual men, troduced the 1980sRights advot want Atralia to adopt the same dividual risk asssment policy as the US, Canada and UK.

THE US HAS BEE THE LATT NATN TO REMOVE S 'GAY BLOOD BAN'. WILL ATRALIA FOLLOW?THE UN STAT IS JOG UNTRI SUCH AS THE UNED KGDOM AND CANADA EASG S BLOOD DONATN RTRICTNS. WHY DON'T ATRALIA?SEVERAL NATNS HAVE EASED BLOOD DONATN RTRICTNS FOR MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN (MSMS). SOURCE: AAP / DAN HIMBRECHTSKEY POTSATRALIA HAS RTRICTNS ON BLOOD DONATNS OM GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN, TRODUCED THE 1980SRIGHTS ADVOT WANT ATRALIA TO ADOPT THE SAME DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT POLICY AS THE US, CANADA AND UK.CHANGG ATRALIA'S BLOOD DONATN L VOLV A "QUE PLEX" PROCS.THE UNED STAT' FOOD AND DG ADMISTRATN (FDA) ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK WOULD EASE S RTRICTNS ON BLOOD DONATNS FOR MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN (MSM) AFTER PREV SCREENG L WERE LABELLED "HOMOPHOBIC".UNR THE CHANG, ALL PROSPECTIVE DONORS, REGARDLS OF THEIR SEX, GENR OR SEXUAL ORIENTATN, WILL BE ASKED A SERI OF QUTNS ABOUT THEIR LIFTYLE TO TERME THEIR ELIGIBILY — A PRACTICE KNOWN AS AN DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT.IF THEY'VE HAD ANAL SEX WH NEW OR MULTIPLE PARTNERS THE PAST THREE MONTHS, THEY WON'T BE ALLOWED TO GIVE BLOOD. THOSE WHO HAVE TAKEN PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS (PREP) OR POST-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS (PEP) — MEDITNS ED TO PREVENT HIV FECTN — MT ALSO FER DONATG BLOOD.THE POLICY CHANGE BRGS THE US POLICY LE WH UNTRI LIKE CANADA AND THE UNED KGDOM.READ MOREJOE WANTS TO DONATE BLOOD. HE N'T BEE OF HIS SEXUALYLET US GIVE MPAIGN SPOKPERSON RODNEY CROOME SAID ALSO HIGHLIGHTED HOW ATRALIA WAS "SLIPPG FURTHER AND FURTHER BEHD BT PRACTICE"."THE CURRENT ATRALIAN GAY BLOOD BAN FEELS LIKE A SLAP THE FACE," HE TOLD SBS NEWS."IT SENDS A MSAGE THAT GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN ARE A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH, AND OUR NTRIBUTN TO SAVG THE LIV OF OTHERS ISN'T WELE. THAT'S A VERY STIGMATISG MSAGE — 'S BASILLY THAT WE'RE STILL SEND CLASS CIZENS."THE OTHER IMPACT OF THE CURRENT POLICY IS THAT MEANS THERE'S LS SAFE BLOOD AVAILABLE TO SAVE THE LIV OF THOSE NEED."MR CROOME SAID HE'D LIKE TO SEE ATRALIA ADOPT THE SAME DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT POLICY AS THE US, CANADA AND UK.WHAT ARE ATRALIA'S BLOOD DONATN L AROUND SEXUAL ACTIVY?MORE THAN 1.7 LN BLOOD DONATNS ARE NEED EVERY YEAR TO MEET MAND, ACRDG TO THE ATRALIAN RED CROSS' LIFEBLOOD ANISATN.BUT THERE ARE CERTA L PLACE TERMG WHO N AND N'T GIVE BLOOD, ORR TO MATA THE SAFETY OF THE SUPPLY.RTRICTNS FOR GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN WERE TRODUCED THE 1980S AT THE HEIGHT OF THE HIV/AIDS EPIMIC OVER NCERNS OF TRANSMISSN THROUGH TRANSFN.WHILE THE L HAVE SOMEWHAT EASED SCE THEN, MOST MSMS AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE SEX WH MSMS ARE STILL ELIGIBLE TO GIVE BLOOD, AS THE TTS PERFORMED ON THEIR DONATNS ARE UNABLE TO TECT EARLY HIV FECTNS.CURRENTLY, ANYONE WHO ANSWERS 'Y' TO ANY OF THE QUTNS WILL HAVE TO WA THREE MONTHS BEFORE THEY'RE ALLOWED TO DONATE:HAD ORAL OR ANAL SEX WH ANOTHER MAN?HAD SEX WH A MALE WHO YOU THK MAY HAVE HAD ORAL OR ANAL SEX WH ANOTHER MAN?BEEN A MALE OR FEMALE SEX WORKER OR HAD SEX WH ONE?ENGAGED SEXUAL ACTIVY WH SOMEONE WHO EVER JECTED DGS NOT PRCRIBED BY A DOCTOR OR NTIST?ENGAGED SEXUAL ACTIVY WH SOMEONE WHO WAS FOUND TO HAVE HIV, HEPATIS B, HEPATIS C OR HUMAN T-LYMPHOTROPIC VIS (HTLV) FECTN?YOU MAY ALSO NEED TO WA TO DONATE IF YOU’VE HAD SEX WH A NEW PARTNER WHO LIV OR LIVED OVERSEAS, PENDG ON THE LEVEL OF HIV RISK THAT UNTRY.THERE ARE OTHER ELIGIBILY REQUIREMENTS TO BE ABLE TO DONATE BLOOD ATRALIA, AS WELL.HOW ARE ATRALIA'S BLOOD DONATN L CHANGED?LIFEBLOOD CHIEF MEDIL OFFICER DR JOANNE PK SAID ATRALIA'S APPROVAL PROCS FOR CHANG TO BLOOD SAFETY L WAS "QUE PLEX".THE FIRST STEP VOLV LIFEBLOOD MAKG A SUBMISSN TO THE THERAPTIC GOODS ADMISTRATN, ADVOTG FOR A CHANGE TO TAKE PLACE.IF THE TGA APPROV THE SUBMISSN, AGREEMENT THEN NEEDS TO BE SOUGHT OM STATE AND TERRORY ERNMENTS, AS WELL AS GLOBAL BTECH PANY CSL BEHRG, BEFORE IS IMPLEMENTED.READ MORE'BREAK THE STIGMA': BLOOD DONATNS ENURAGED FOR MIGRANTS ATRALIA AMID WORLD RERD ATTEMPTEARLIER THIS YEAR, LIFEBLOOD MA A SUBMISSN TO THE TGA PROPOSG ALL SEXUAL ACTIVY L BE REMOVED FOR PLASMA DONATN, CLUDG FOR THOSE TAKG PREP."WHAT'S REALLY EXCG ABOUT PLASMA IS THAT 'S GOT AN ADDNAL SAFETY PLANT LLED PATHOGEN ACTIVATN, AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THEY E A PROCS WHICH N KILL OFF OR REMOVE VIS AND BACTERIA," DR PK TOLD SBS NEWS."THAT PARTICULAR PROCS IS NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FOR RED CELLS, SO WE'VE GOT MORE OPTNS WH PLASMA."TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THIS APPROACH WHOUT IMPACTG ON PATIENT SAFETY IS A POWERFUL AND CLIVE WAY TO POTENTIALLY ALLOW MORE PEOPLE ATRALIA TO HELP OTHERS."A TGA SPOKPERSON NFIRMED THE APPLITN WAS CURRENTLY BEG ASSSED."A CISN BY TGA IS EXPECTED THE NEAR FUTURE," THEY TOLD SBS NEWS A STATEMENT.MR CROOME SAID WHILE ANY CREASE ATRALIA'S BLOOD PRODUCT SUPPLY WOULD BE WELE, OTHER UNTRI' EXPERIENC SHOWED REMOVG L FOR PLASMA DONATN DIDN'T ADDRS THE MA PROBLEM."THE ISSUE IS NTUED DISCRIMATN THE SUPPLY OF WHOLE BLOOD, AND THE FACT THAT WHOLE BLOOD IS WHAT IS REGULARLY SHORT SUPPLY," HE SAID."IN CANADA AND ISRAEL THE LAST FEW YEARS, THEY ALLOWED GAY MEN TO GIVE PLASMA, BUT NOT WHOLE BLOOD, AND BOTH OF THOSE UNTRI, THEY FOUND THAT THAT WASN'T THE SOLUTN."PLASMA DONATN IS A MUCH MORE TIME NSUMG AND DIFFICULT PROCS THAN DONATG WHOLE BLOOD … SO THE AMOUNT OF PLASMA GIVEN DIDN'T CREASE VERY MUCH, AND OF URSE, THERE STILL NTUED TO BE A SHORTAGE OF WHOLE BLOOD AND DISCRIMATN THE LLECTN OF WHOLE BLOOD."ISRAEL AND CANADA ABANDONED THAT PATHWAY VERY QUICKLY, AND BOTH UNTRI MOVED ON TO ALLOWG GAY MEN TO DONATE WHOLE BLOOD."WILL LIFEBLOOD REMEND CHANG FOR MSM WHOLE BLOOD DONATN?LIFEBLOOD RECENTLY TABLISHED A REARCH ADVISORY PANEL TO CI WHETHER TO REMEND DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT FOR BLOOD DONATNS, AND IF SO, HOW ULD BE BT ADAPTED TO SU ATRALIA.DR PK SAID SHE EXPECTED WOULD TAKE ONE TO TWO YEARS FOR LIFEBLOOD TO PLETE THE REARCH NEED TO REACH S CISN, BEFORE A SUBMISSN TO THE TGA WAS EVEN NSIRED."WE KNOW PEOPLE WANT CHANGE ON THIS LE, AND WE DO, TOO," SHE SAID.BUT ATRALIA ULDN'T SIMPLY TRODUCE NEW BLOOD SAFETY L BEE OTHER UNTRI HAD, DR PK SAID."IT IS IMPORTANT TO NSIR LOL HEALTH DATA, SUCH AS, FOR EXAMPLE, HOW MON HIV IS ACROSS THE POPULATN, AND WHETHER THERE ARE PARTICULAR GROUPS OF DIVIDUALS WHO MAY HAVE A HIGHER CHANCE OF RRYG THE FECTN," SHE SAID."WH ATRALIA, THERE ARE TWO MA GROUPS WHO HAVE A HIGHER RISK OF HIV, THAT'S GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN, BUT ALSO, THERE IS A HIGHER RISK HETEROSEXUALS WHO HAVE A SEXUAL PARTNER OM A UNTRY WH A HIGHER RISK OF HIV."THE UNTRI THAT TYPILLY HAVE IMPLEMENTED DIVIDUAL RISK ASSSMENT HAVE A MORE EVEN DISTRIBUTN OF HIV ACROSS THE POPULATN."READ MOREDOLLY'S JOB HAS NEVER BEEN MORE DANGERO THAN IS NOW. SHE'S REFG TO LET STOP HERMR CROOME SAID LIFEBLOOD WAS BEG "OVERLY UT" ON THE ISSUE AND NEED TO ACT "MUCH MORE QUICKLY"."THERE IS ALMOST NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MOGRAPHICS OF HIV FECTN CANADA AND ATRALIA. AMONGST MEN, 'S ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME," HE SAID.THE REAL SAFETY RISK ME OM THOSE WHO WERE NEWLY FECTED WH HIV, REGARDLS OF THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN, MR CROOME SAID."THE NEW FECTN RATE AMONGST GAY MEN IS GOG DOWN TO TO POT WHERE THE RISK OF HIV TRANSMISSN THROUGH BLOOD DONATN IS STATISTILLY NEGLIGIBLE," HE SAID.SHARE7 M READPUBLISHED 16 MAY 2023 6:01AMBY AMY HALLSOURCE: SBS NEWSAVAILABLE OTHER LANGUAGTAGSHEALTHATRALIASHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHAREREMEND FOR YOU

Changg Atralia's blood donatn l volv a "que plex" Uned Stat' Food and Dg Admistratn (FDA) announced last week would ease s rtrictns on blood donatns for men who have sex wh men (MSM) after prev screeng l were labelled "homophobic" the chang, all prospective donors, regardls of their sex, genr or sexual orientatn, will be asked a seri of qutns about their liftyle to terme their eligibily — a practice known as an dividual risk they've had anal sex wh new or multiple partners the past three months, they won't be allowed to give blood. Rtrictns for gay and bisexual men were troduced the 1980s at the height of the HIV/AIDS epimic over ncerns of transmissn through the l have somewhat eased sce then, most MSMs and people who have sex wh MSMs are still eligible to give blood, as the tts performed on their donatns are unable to tect early HIV fectns. "In Canada and Israel the last few years, they allowed gay men to give plasma, but not whole blood, and both of those untri, they found that that wasn't the solutn.

ATRALIA TO STOP RELIG SCHOOLS REJECTG GAY STUNTS

"Wh Atralia, there are two ma groups who have a higher risk of HIV, that's gay and bisexual men, but also, there is a higher risk heterosexuals who have a sexual partner om a untry wh a higher risk of HIV. "The new fectn rate amongst gay men is gog down to to pot where the risk of HIV transmissn through blood donatn is statistilly negligible, " he said.

Image source, EPAImage ptn, Prime Mister Stt Morrison clarified his policy on relig schools amid fierce bateAtralia's prime mister has promised to ban relig schools om discrimatg agast gay Morrison said new legislatn would "make clear that no stunt of a non-state school should be expelled on the basis of their sexualy".

Some Atralian stat allow such schools to turn away gay report, missned after same-sex marriage was ma legal last year, suggted that procr for non-state schools to reject gay stunts should be ma nsistent natnwi, raisg the possibily of allowg such rejectns across Wednday Mr Morrison, who leads the centre-right Liberal-Natnal aln, said the proposals - which clud some safeguards for gay stunts - would be nsired "refully and rpectfully" on Saturday he ma clear that relig schools would not be allowed to discrimate unr new legislatn.

SHOULD ATRALIA END RTRICTNS ON GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN DONATG BLOOD?

LGBTQI+ groups have lled for Atralia to change s policy on blood donatns om gay and bisexual men the light of mov other untri to relax July the UK removed s three-month abstence perd for gay and bisexual men donatg blood, and moved to an dividual risk asssment for all donors, regardls of genr or sexual partner. A number of other natns, cludg the Netherlands, Israel, Argenta, France and Germany, have abolished their ban on blood donatns for particular groups sce the panmic began, or plan to do so unr Atralian policy, gay men or trans women who have sex wh men are unable to donate blood if their sexual abstence perd is ls than three months. “Mollg suggts this would actually crease the amount of safe blood available to those need of blood products, ” she ban on gay blood donatns was put place the 1980s when much ls was known about the tectn and transmissn of HIV/ appli to all sexually active gay men, as well as sexually active bisexual men and transgenr women who have sex wh men – cludg those long-term Heiger timated that he donated blood as a teenager more than a dozen tim, before g out as gay.

VICTORIA BANS GAY NVERSN PRACTIC AFTER 12-HOUR BATE

"Growg up a loud Greek hoehold, Erenie always felt like the odd one sld by her fay for not ftg to the expected genr role, she was labelled a all changed when Erenie's iend ved her to attend church wh her her as their own, this new fay treated her as their dghter, and for the first time her life, Erenie felt this acceptance she had long craved was short-lived, as the fay's stance on homosexualy was clear: Erenie had to stop beg new fay promised to help change her sexual their support, this is when Erenie's journey of exorcisms, prayers and unsellg began.

'Get God and gay out'But after years of failed nversn "therapy", It was suggted that Erenie went to a place lled Mercy people around Erenie, who she loved and tsted, told her to go bee this place uld "fix" left Tasmania to jo Mercy Mistri, whout her parents' was a cisn that would change Erenie's life forever. My treatment was to get God and gay out, " she s webse, Mercy Mistri said  treated women aged 16 to 28 years old by "providg hom and re for young women sufferg the effects of eatg disorrs, self-harm, abe, prsn, unplanned pregnanci and other life-ntrollg issu" former clients of Mercy Mistri claim they were nied profsnal help and were stead exorcised and told simply to repent their publicy and an vtigatn by the ACCC forced the closure of a ntroversial unsellg program lked to the evangelil Hillsong church.

"They ma believe that we'd actually chosen to be gay, and was a direct rult of our fathers not huggg enough when we were ltle and om listeng to K.

BILL TO BAN GAY NVERSN AND REFORM DISCRIMATN LAWS ULD HELP CI NEXT NSW ERNMENT: MP

(ABC News: Le Bown)'I've ma an appotment for you'It was the late the televisn was clicked on a nservative hoehold southern Tasmania, protts filled the screen as the LGBTQIA+ muny mpaigned for homosexualy to be crimalised the state — somethg that was only achieved Larks's mother labelled the "gay agenda" and said the mpaign was to "rpt fai, rpt children and rec children" a very young age, Bron knew she was different om her six sisters. "The nversn "therapy" went for eight ssns, and Bron was given a tape rerdg to listen to every hypnotherapist's voice played on repeat, wearg her down to believe that homosexuals had somethg herently broken wh their bra, they had experienced fay trma, or that they were jt pretendg to be same-sex attracted for attentn. "And worst of all, that homosexual people are paedophil and that's what gay people did, rec young children for that, which is not te at all, " Bron says.

PH TO LIFT GAY BLOOD DONATN BAN AMID SHORTAGE

Confsg he was same-sex attracted, the group put him touch wh a mistry the south of the hearg the mistry uld "heal" homosexualy, Glen jumped the r and drove to meet them. "When I hear om survivors that they have been put through exorcisms bee they're gay, or they've been sent off to mps terstate which are basilly like prison … We have failed them as a society, " he 2019, La Trobe Universy surveyed more than 6, 000 LGBTQIA+ Atralians aged between 14 to 21 years and clud qutns about their experience wh nversn 4 per cent of the group had attend nversn practic through programs, group work, unsellg and terventns that were aimed at changg their sexual or genr inty.

VICTORIAN BILL BANNG GAY NVERSN THERAPY PASS UPPER HOE AS AMENDMENTS FAIL

Gay nversn practic have been banned Victoria followg a lengthy bate parliament overnight, durg which two Liberal MPs broke wh party ranks to vote agast the Change or Supprsn (Conversn) Practic Prohibn Bill passed the legislative uncil on Thursday night 29 vot to ne followg a 12-hour bate. Sydney MP Alex Greenwich says he will seek to ban gay nversn practic and remove a swathe of laws that discrimate agast LGBTQ+ people New South Wal a bill, to help terme who he’d support if next year’s electn rults a hung announcement has been weled by advote group Equaly Atralia, wh chief executive Anna Brown llg for multiparty support for the legislatn.

Greenwich, an pennt, said on Friday that he would beg nsultatn on an omnib “equaly” bill that would seek to unwd a seri of discrimatory laws agast LGBTQ+ people ahead of next year’s global WorldPri event bill to be prented draft form later this year, before beg voted on after the next electn, would remove wi-rangg exemptns the state’s 45-year-old anti-discrimatn act that allow private schools to discrimate agast gay or trans stunts and bill would also allow trans people to change their sex or genr on legal documents whout unrgog surgery, while also endg the “unnecsary medil procr” rried out on tersex people whout their nsent. Signifintly, the bill would also seek to ban gay nversn practic, a move which would brg the state to le wh other jurisdictns such as Victoria, which recently passed siar Friday, Greenwich said he was flaggg his tentn to troduce the bill to put both the ernment and Labor on notice that, the se of a hung parliament, the bill uld play a cidg factor who he throws his support behd.

GAY BRISBANE

“I’m makg clear early on to the major parti that how they approach this bill will be a key factor who I will ci to support a [mory] ernment suatn the next electn, ” he some parts of the reform would be straightforward – removg discrimatn exemptns for gay teachers and stunts would only require an amendment of the existg act – Greenwich said a ban on nversn practic would be more plex bee NSW do not have a human rights act siar to the one ed to ban the practice that reason, he said, he was startg a wi-rangg nsultatn procs before seekg to prent a draft of the bill later this year. While many might not choose to do this and are supportive of the LGBTQ+ muny, there have still been s of non-supportive relig schools who have sacked teachers for beg gay. It is such a low bar that relig schools n likely rely on for almost everythg they means that even if the Sex Discrimatn Act exemptns are removed, the Relig Discrimatn Bill uld provi an alternative route for relig schools to discrimate agast LGBTQ+ teachers and stance, a non-supportive relig school may teach that gay upl should not be allowed to marry or have children.

Moreover, the availabily of nversn therapy has also perpetuated ternalised homophobia, self-hatred, and nfn about sexualy and genr inty wh the LGBTQI+ muny. Atralian Red Cross Lifeblood is nsirg changg l to allow more gay and bisexual men to donate plasma, but equaly advot are urgg to go further and screen donors on their sexual activy to rce HIV and transgenr people who have sex wh partners signated male at birth are not allowed to donate blood unls they have been celibate for three months and Atralia says is time for this to Buxere wants to be able to donate Flav Branleone“I’ve been wh my hband for 12 years, and I jt don’t unrstand why my blood would be emed as unsafe, ” Thomas Buxere, om the advocy group’s Let Us Give mpaign, told The Sydney Morng Herald and The Age.