I find this homophobic

[Dust-Ball.]

I am the duty officer for Poole St. John Ambulance Division and we have been asked to cover the duty called Gay Pride and i ahve asked our adult duivision who we have about 60 + members and none of them will cover it because they say the Nature of the duty and the amy catch something. I am happy to cover the duty and Gay pride has asked for about 20 first aiders and atm there is me and my g/f how bad is that!

[sierk]

I can see that when you have to give first aid to gay people somebody might be afraid there is a slightly bigger chance of getting hiv infected, but I would think Ambulance personel is taught how to be careful and deal with it so that there isn't much risk?

[blaster.]

:s There is that risk when giving first aid to anyone geting infected with HIV not just gay people. Never heard of this bigger risk :s Correct me if im wrong but i think its wrong say that there is a risk of geting HIV is a gay person gives you first aid :s
But then again i could be wrong..

[Uwe]

I can see that when you have to give first aid to gay people somebody might be afraid there is a slightly bigger chance of getting hiv infected, but I would think Ambulance personel is taught how to be careful and deal with it so that there isn't much risk?

HIV can only be transmitted by blood + fluids created during sex.

[bi!!y]

i remember i cut myself at work once and it was

"omg dont touch his blood i dont want aids.."

there is a SLIGHTLY bigger chance that it can be contracted from gays more..

however i can understand peoples worries about contract the god awful virus ...

ambulance staff are trained on the risks of it and how it is contracted

[Dust-Ball.]

Yep they are i said to them that they have a chance of getting ti from anyone but if they use glove which i ahve previded and if there so woried use the alchol hand rub thing theres no problems

[ReInfected]

Thats great. Go into your room, shut the door, in the dark, go into the corner, crawl into a ball, and tell yourself that.

[Crono]

HIV can only be transmitted by blood + fluids created during sex.

Wrong.

HIV can be transferred by

• Blood to blood transfer (not just sex - open wounds)
• Sharing needles
• Sex
• Birth

I know in this case sharing needles and birth wouldn't be something to worry about, but still . It's really stereotypical to think that all gay people have HIV/AIDS because they don't, but if someone infected with HIV/AIDS had an open wound that came in contact with another person's wound, they could get HIV.

[Kotu]

Well, it's certainly not right of them to refuse to do it because of whatever reason. They volunteer (I assume its voluntary) to offer first aid services, they should do it if they have the time on Gay Pride day. Plus, its not even just gay people that attend these events - a lot of straight people attend because they believe in gay rights.

At the end of the day, St Johns volunteers are there for a reason.

[brodeo]

Sierk wth, please? What are you 10.. omg touch me and you get teh cooties.

It's impossible to contract HIV through giving someone mouth to mouth. I can see in a way how they may feel uneasy but giving mouth to mouth to a gay person is the same a straight man it's not like hes gonna wake up and start tongueing you?