Reply #99: I agree. But it's already mandated by the CDC. There is an opt-out clause,

[wiley]

however. Increased testing may not occur. It may not happen - and health care providers will be deprived of both state and federal funds - because health care providers simply do not have the money to do it. The other very serious problem is that there is no guarantee that those who test positive will not be fired from their jobs, denied insurance coverage or life insurance, and stigmatized in hurtful, sometimes violent ways.

Although covered by the ADA, religious institutions can readily ignore those laws based on their core beliefs, and the US military and other federal agencies - including blood banks - have the right to deny to accept a blood donation from anyone who has EVER had sex with someone of the same sex. Religious zealots and fundamentalists have inserted themselves into the arena of science and medicine to the point where the rule of law and ethics have been replaced by theology. The effect is that people with treatable diseases will cower in fear and end up seeking care only when they are very sick.

Everything about this drives me nuts! I still encourage everyone to be tested regularly for STDS and HIV, but not without a discussion of its' implications with an independent community based organization that knows what they are talking about.

Always good to hear your comments Bluebear. Let's keep this thread going indefinitely! I'm also learning as we discuss. For example, for all the men who sex with men who I have treated, not one has ever mentioned that using a condom as "sexualizing the act". I hope that means when they have sex that they consider consistent with their self-defined sexual orientation that they use condoms then! Thanks to JackBeck for that piece of info.