Does the Red Cross Discriminate When It Won't Accept Blood From Active Gays?

Woodmonkey · 02-06-2006, 02:13

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Discrimination?

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The University of Vermont's office of affirmative action has tried to prevent the Red Cross from operating blood drives on campus because the group discriminates against gay men by not accepting their donations, reports the Burlington Free Press.

The office was acting on a complaint from a gay student, who said the group refuses to accept donations from sexually active gay men because of the threat of AIDS. The policy reflects that of the U.S. federal government.

University officials, however, rejected the plea, insisting that donating blood is "an individual choice and action — not rising to the definition of protected activity in the case of discrimination or equal protection."

The Free Press says student government's at the University of Maine's Orono campus have voted to bar the Red Cross, and the University of New Hampshire's Student Senate last year passed a resolution calling on the Red Cross and the FDA to revise the homophobic policies.

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JohnRN · 02-06-2006, 02:17

So promiscuous heterosexual men with multiple partners are not the same risk as active homosexuals (who may very well have one single partner)?

Bottom line: swingers are safer than gay men.

What about lesbians?

Bisexuals?

I always thought that ALL blood was screened before being batched and the only thing that would prevent you from donating is if you had just been overseas in the past 6 months or had major surgery or illness recently.

I've always donated to the Red Cross and I don't recall them ever asking me this question

BrianK · 02-06-2006, 02:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by John.

So promiscuous heterosexual men with multiple partners are not the same risk as active homosexuals (who may very well have one single partner)?

Bottom line: swingers are safer than gay men.

What about lesbians?

Bisexuals?

I always thought that ALL blood was screened before being batched and the only thing that would prevent you from donating is if you had just been overseas in the past 6 months or had major surgery or illness recently.

I've always donated to the Red Cross and I don't recall them ever asking me this question

I wonder if there has been an investigation into whether or not the Red Cross is performing the analysis of donated blood. Maybe it's because the drugs in use now might mask HIV viral infections.

Could be a case of better safe than sorry. IMO considering the spread of disease like it or not the blood of all donors has to come under suspicion.

SherryGrace · 02-06-2006, 08:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by John.

So promiscuous heterosexual men with multiple partners are not the same risk as active homosexuals (who may very well have one single partner)?

Bottom line: swingers are safer than gay men.

What about lesbians?

Bisexuals?

I always thought that ALL blood was screened before being batched and the only thing that would prevent you from donating is if you had just been overseas in the past 6 months or had major surgery or illness recently.

I've always donated to the Red Cross and I don't recall them ever asking me this question

Yep. Homosexual activity is still the leading category.

You give blood at the red cross and never asked that? Hmmmm. I believe its been around for a long long time.

Googling it shows its been in effect since 1985.

JohnRN · 02-06-2006, 13:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by SherryGrace

You give blood at the red cross and never asked that? Hmmmm. I believe its been around for a long long time.

Googling it shows its been in effect since 1985.

Their questionaires ask about risky activity - including drug usage etc.

Sexual history has never differentiated between homosexual or heterosexual history.

Woodmonkey · 02-06-2006, 13:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by SherryGrace

Yep. Homosexual activity is still the leading category.

You give blood at the red cross and never asked that? Hmmmm. I believe its been around for a long long time.

Googling it shows its been in effect since 1985.

That policy was put into effect when a bunch of people who received donated blood came up positive for HIV and it was traced back to gays.

They have since added several more categories of risky behavior.

Sometimes, the rights of innocent people who need blood come before PC policies. I have no problem with that.

DocDiggs · 02-06-2006, 15:25

I had a lifelong friend who died of AIDS from a blood transfusion. He was a minister, happily monogamously married, and an all around caring, giving sorta guy. This was before the days of blood screening, or even very much understanding of the disease and it's mode of transmission.

HIV/AIDS is so prevalent in the general population now. Blood screening is routine and required.

I cannot donate blood because of the meds I take. I would if I could, but I'll never forget the one time that I did about 45 years ago. Everything went fine. I walked over to a table for my juice and cookie, sat down, passed out and peed my jeans....