What way would someone be sat or laid down to give blood? What facial expression would I put across to show my frustration about the over-arching theme? What should the photo say to someone when they look at it?Īfter some test shots it was clear that laying down with my ‘donating’ arm extended was best. First of all there was the lighting, which seemed to work best by bouncing light against the opposite wall. In NI we’ve got a shortage of blood and hospitals are crying out for the stuff.Īctually taking the photos was trickier than I thought it would be. We explored the idea of using props to mimic an intravenous needle or blood bag, to help clarify what the photo was about, We decided that these things would be unnecessary for the picture, as in reality I wouldn’t be allowed anywhere near these things – my blood wouldn’t be taken and I’d be sent home.
Normal donation areas wouldn’t look like something out of ER or Casuality. The setting was simple but really effective. We didn’t want the wrong message portrayed in the photo and taking it down freed up some space in the background of the picture where later I will add my writing about the theme.
After some thought we decided to take it down. Ironically, the poster was about sexual health testing with the caption, ‘What’s in your blood?’ written large. We took a few test shoots, and yep, it could clearly be read. If it remained it would be clearly visible in the photo. The only spanner in the works was making a decision about whether to take down or keep up a poster on a small display board behind the bed. Setting up to create a photograph that portrays a scene of blood donation didn’t take too long. Getting a location to shoot the photo in was tricky and hats off to Anthony for securing the perfect place for me – a small medical consultation suite in the Welcome Organisation in Belfast. I’d be more worried about someone who was in a loving relationship who didn’t make love.įrom the outset, I always envisaged my Collaborative Self-Portrait being set in a clinical environment. And what sane man can go without sex for a year if they are in committed, loving and HEALTHY relationships. To be made to feel that the life giving stuff which flows through your veins is in someway dirty, inadequate, or unsafe, is simply wrong. It’s insulting to think that any heterosexual Joe Blogs can donate blood freely and I can’t.
CAN GAY MEN DONATE BLOOD IN TEXAS FULL
With modern blood screening methods, improved clinical testing, and access to sexual health services, I can’t see any reason why the lift can’t be extended in full to allow gay men to donate if they are healthy. Recently there have been good steps forward with the lift of the permanent blood ban on gay men donating, but it’s a small step. This has a particular personal resonance for me. But the one theme I really wanted to focus on is the issue of restrictions on gay men donating blood. Marriage equality for LGBTQ+ people has always been a top priority for me, and equal rights for gay couples adopting children is also something important for me as I’d love to have children some day. When discussing different ideas for our Collaborative Self-Portraits there were a few themes that grabbed my attention.