"If [a gay person] wants to donate blood, he’s turned away at the door… With gay rights, people are more likely to talk about hate crime legislation, marriage, civil unions, and equality on a grand scale. But here’s an inequality that puts people’s lives at risk. This is an inequality that is outdated by a good 20 years and no one seems to be talking about it. We should start." We've been talking about it for months. Hopefully others can join in the fun.
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What I love the most about this is that every year my company has a blood drive and every year the same person walks around and asks everyone if they are giving blood. Every year I explain that I can't because I am gay and by law I am not allowed to donate. I talk about how it is a outdated law and so on, and he always responds with "I never knew that." Well Sure enough another year goes by and I find myself having the same conversation with him. Straight men never listen.
I find that they listen better if I let go of their ears — but I'm not willing to do that. They make such good handles.
I was in the LGBT Resource Center on my college campus yesterday when a new student came in and asked us about it. I felt bad telling him that it was the truth, but I told him its been that way since Reagan. Isn't the FDA the group in charge of that regulation?
The FDA policy is ridiculous. I know gay men that lie on the blood bank’s questionnaire because they believe in giving blood. I am sure there are promiscuous, straight men and women that don’t practice safe-sex that give blood too. The current policy is not based on science. It is based on hated, fear and disgust of gay men.
Dr. Charles Richard Drew (1904-1950) was an African-American physician and medical researcher. His research was in the field of blood transfusions, blood storage, and developing large-scale blood banks early in World War II. He protested against the practice of racial segregation in the donation of blood from donors of different races since it lacked scientific foundation.
In 1941 Dr Drew was chosen to lead the American Red Cross blood bank program. However, a War Department directive stated that, "It is not advisable to indiscriminately mix Caucasian and Negro blood for use in blood transfusions for the U.S. Military". Dr Drew protested against this blood segregation, which has no basis in scientific fact, and as a result was forced to resign his position. The United States Military did not end segregation of its blood supplies until 1949. Politics and bigotry of blood still continues today.
I have worked with the Red Cross and I know first hand that people lie all the time for different reasons. I also know first hand that there are some heteros that I wouldn't want to be seating next to let alone donate blood but unless you're willing to lie about your sexual orientation and activity you shouldn't bother finding a blood drive. Wanting to do good doesn't exempt you from being discriminated against in this Country. Sad but true.
I still donate…
:-)
It's bullsh!t, and for once, I'll totally agree with Churchill-y.
Then let's do something about it. How about on World AIDS Day (December 1) we get as many people as we can to stand in line at the Red Cross and have them turn each of us away individually. And have our straight allies with us and have them leave with us. The theme for World AIDS Day is "Leadership" – sounds like a good example to me.