It's been federal policy for 30 years to deny men who have sex with men the ability to donate blood unless celibate. While that in and of itself is pretty much bullshit, you wouldn't think the Red Cross's irrational fear of HIV tainted blood (now almost a zero chance with modern testing methods) would affect straight donors.
One man, Aaron Pace, attempted to give blood at a donor center. However, the screener judged him to be a little fey and decided he "appeared homosexual" and could not donate. The thing is, Aaron is straight, no matter how effeminate he may appear.
"'I was humiliated and embarrassed,' said Pace, 22. of Gary [Indiana]. 'It’s not right that homeless people can give blood but homosexuals can’t. And I’m not even a homosexual.'
"Pace visited Bio-Blood Components Inc. in Gary, which pays for blood and plasma donations, up to $40 a visit. But during the interview screening process, Pace said he was told he could not be a blood donor there because he 'appears to be a homosexual.'
"No one at Bio-Blood returned calls seeking comment, but donation centers like it, and even the American Red Cross, are still citing a nearly 30-year-old federal policy to turn away gay men from donating."
"Pace visited Bio-Blood Components Inc. in Gary, which pays for blood and plasma donations, up to $40 a visit. But during the interview screening process, Pace said he was told he could not be a blood donor there because he 'appears to be a homosexual.'
"No one at Bio-Blood returned calls seeking comment, but donation centers like it, and even the American Red Cross, are still citing a nearly 30-year-old federal policy to turn away gay men from donating."
While I'm not going to knock on the homeless, Aaron says it pretty succinctly-- why did he get turned away? Not only is that clearly a breach of the rules, but it enforces negative (and inaccurate) stereotypes. The Food and Drug Administration needs to stop treating gay blood as "icky" and start letting MSM help people in need.
It's so ridiculous! A male friend of my was turned down because he had "sexual contact" with a male...once. A blow job. One blow job, and you're basically just HIV waiting to happen, according to the Red Cross.
ReplyDeleteYour friend sounds fun. Can you give him my number?
ReplyDelete