Bloody outrage

I donate blood.  A lot.  Pretty much as much as I can, every sixty days or so.  Today was one of those days.  I'm O+, the most common blood type.  I'm the only person I know who donates on a regular basis.  One of my friends is interested in donation, but there's a small problem.

He's gay.  In the US, the current guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is to permanently defer any male donor who has had sex with another man, in the period from 1977 to the present day.

He doesn't have any diseases that would disqualify him.  Neither does his boyfriend.  They've been in a committed monogamous relationship for several years now.  The blanket ban still keeps them from donating.  At a time when blood supplies are so low (they've never been too high, to be certain) it no longer makes sense to exclude gay men.  Lesbians are NOT prohibited, by the way, as the questionarire specifies having sex with another man who's had sex with another man.

The UK recently lifted their ban on gay men donating--sort of. The USA needs to follow suit. Granted, we're not the only country with this ban, but since I live here, frankly, I want to get it done here first.  

Some progress has been made. In April 2010, the New York City Council passed a resolution calling on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to eliminate the ban stating "This ban was based on prejudice, a knee-jerk reaction, and misunderstandings about the HIV/AIDS disease. Given the constant need for blood, it does not make common sense to prohibit donations from an entire population." And on August 19, 2009, the Assembly Judiciary Committee in California passed AJR13, the U.S. Blood Donor Nondiscrimination Resolution, calling upon the FDA to end the MSM blood ban. Lastly, on June 1, 2010, the Washington, DC City Council passed a resolution calling on the FDA to "reverse the lifetime deferment of blood donations by men who have had sex with men since 1977 in favor of a policy that protects the safety and integrity of the blood supply that is based on an up-to-date scientific criteria."

As is sit here, my arm bandaged in bright red, I cannot help but think of all the lives lost because the blood simply wasn't there.  Limiting donations for any reason except medialc ones is an outrage, and a disgrace.All blood donated is tested for HIV, so prohibiting gay men from donation on that basis makes no sense. It's a slap in the face for the gay community, and it costs lives. 

I want to urge people NOT to boycott the Red Cross Blood drives because of this. Lives are at stake.  Instead, donate frequently.  Make a difference from the inside: as a donator, your opinions on the process will be all the more valid.  If donators themselves speak up, write letters, and  sign petitions, as I have done, change CAN be achieved.  

For now, I'm taking it easy and marking on the calendar when I can donate again. Visit http://www.redcross.org/ to see how you can make a difference.