Red Cross complaint hearing today
A complaint against the Australian Red Cross Blood Service’s gay ban will be heard by the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Tribunal today.
Michael Cain first lodged the complaint in 2005 after being refused by the Launceston blood collection centre because he admitted to being in a sexual relationship with another man.
My case is simply that potential donors should be screened for the safety of their sexual activity rather than the gender of their sexual partner, Cain said in a statement.
Former senior government health advisor Bill Bowtell and a number of experts in epidemio-logy, bioethics and gay men’s health will testify in support of Cain’s complaint.
The Australian Red Cross Blood Service has not clarified or reconsidered its policy on gay men giving blood since the Tribunal complaint was first lodged.
Due to current legal proceedings underway in Tasmania, we are unable to comment on this issue, the service’s spokeswoman said.
A national television blood drive by the service last year publicised almost every category under which a donor can be refused, except that of gay sex within the last 12 months.
Cain and former Greens Senator Kerry Nettle protested the gay ban outside the International AIDS Society conference in July last year under a banner declaring: HIV is transmitted by unsafe sex, not gay sex: End the Red Cross’ bloody homophobia.
Cain has setup a website for his campaign at www.gayblooddonation.org.
