Gay Men Cannot Donate Blood

[GBoF]

Posted: 1/4/12 at 11:48pm

http://youtu.be/nnAlu6hjRtM
This video was made by actors in a recent production at Seacoast Repertory Theatre in Portsmouth, NH. Tell your Representative to change this unjust law.

In 1985 the FDA established a policy placing gay men on a lifetime ban from donating blood. At the same time women, regardless of sexual preference are allowed to donate blood and either gender, who has had sex with an HIV-Positive partner, must wait only one year before contributing. The policy needs reform - this video was produced to encourage citizens of the world to take action. The American Red Cross and the American Association of Blood Banks support a revision of the policy. Despite FDA reviews in 2000 and 2006 the agency continues to uphold the ban. Your comments and thoughts are welcome as are your calls to the FDA and your state legislators in support of the policies amendment.
The Blood of Life

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 1/5/12 at 12:25am

In Montreal there's a great campaign called "Hemophobia."

[Jane2]

Posted: 1/5/12 at 12:32am

I can't give blood either. I had hepatitis about 30 yrs. ago

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 1/5/12 at 12:38am

My first boyfriend was born in Nigeria, so I can't donate blood either.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 1/5/12 at 1:48am

That's okay, we can donate other things. Like a peppy number for one of their benefits.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 1/5/12 at 4:09am

I guess I've stopped caring as much, but this used to drive me crazy. Back in University it seemed like we had monthly blood drives with people coming up to you and basically harassing you to donate blood--I started to just basically say "Can't, I'm gay" and walk away. But it is annoying--at Xmas here, you hear constant guilt trip ads on the radio that imply you're a selfish person not to give. Of course if it bothered me that much I suppose I could lie (wasn't there an issue recently, maybe in the UK with a guy who apparently was straight who was turned away because he acted too feminine and they were sure he was lying). I know the UK recently changed it to something like you can donate if you're gay but haven't had sex in 2 years... Fun.

Oh well, I get tested for STDs regularly, play safe, don't shoot up...meh.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/5/12 at 8:09am

For 27 years, this issue has made my blood boil.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 1/5/12 at 9:16am

Someone tried to guilt trip me into lying on the form, and I told them that I'd stopped lying about being gay a long time ago.

[Jane2]

Posted: 1/5/12 at 9:33am

I just don't understand why my blood is considered unacceptable after having hepatitis such a long time ago, but I understand that if you've EVER had that disease, you can't donate. go figure. On 9/11, a gay male friend and I went to St. Vincent's to try and donate. We were both turned away for those two reasons.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 1/5/12 at 10:56am

It is also not legal for a doctor to impregnate a woman using donated sperm from a Gay man. A friend of mine discovered this out recently in his quest to have a child.

I can't donate blood either for both reasons, I am Gay and was jaundice at birth.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/6/12 at 11:03pm

This came up at one of our church's blood drives. Our pastor was furious when he learned of the policy. He called me to discuss the matter and said his first impulse was to ban the Red Cross from using any of the parish facilities for their drives. I talked him out of it because there is a serious need for blood and banning the Red Cross is "cutting off your nose to spite your face".

What's the solution?

(He did file a formal complaint, though. I don't know what that's worth)

[GlitterandBeGay2]

Posted: 7/15/14 at 10:30pm

Thought it was an apt time to resurrect this thread. I didn't realize when I went to donate blood five years ago that my answer to one of the form questions would ban me for life from being a donor. Just found out and added my name to this petition: petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/call-hhs-fda-end-their-ban-against-gay-bisexual-male-blood-donors/7mcCpPxl

Hope it makes a difference!

Posted: 7/15/14 at 10:55pm

Isn't the Reagan era hilarious????

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/15/14 at 10:56pm

Ditto for me due to hepatitis and bouts of bladder and prostate cancer.