Turned Away For Being Gay!

     Blood drives through out the United States are not accepting blood donations from homosexual men sexually active with other men because of a policy passed by The Food and Drug Administration in 1983. In certain cases, donors who were not homosexual were turned away because the assumption was made that they were.

     Today, all blood donated is tested extensively for HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Syphilis, and other transmitted diseases before being released to any hospitals.

     The policy made by The Food and Drug Administration was created because of the AIDS outbreak in Los Angeles and the rest of the United States. During interviews for prospective donors a questionnaire is given deciding rather one is eligible to participate or not.

Picture of the FDA Questionnaire 1

The actual question added in 1983 (at left) to The Food and Drug Administration questionnaire asks, “Male Donors: From 1977 to present have you had sex, even once, with another male?” It leaves a bubble as well for female applicants to pass to the next question. “We certainly see this as a discriminatory issue,’’ said Nathan Schaefer, director of public policy for the GAY MEN’S HEALTH CRISIS. “It unfairly singles out gay men.” On the New York Times website published by Jacqueline Mroz an interviewee stated, “I work in a nonprofit sector, and it’s important for me to give back. You can’t participate in a work place event. I have to explain that my government thinks my blood is tainted.”

     Such places as the Red Cross do agree with gay activist in overturning the policy but still turn away male blood donors who bubble in that they do have sex with other men. According to the New York Times Bebe Anderson, H.I.V. Project Director for Lambda Legal said, “Turning away perfectly good donors gives an incorrect and harmful message. This is screening donors based on sexual orientation, not on risk. It also stigmatizes people who wish to donate.”

     In particular cases men have been turned away merely on the appearance of homosexuality when they have explained they are not. During a recent interview by Jerry Davich from the Chicago Sun-Times on July 15, 2011 a 22-year-old male was handled in this manner by Bio-Blood Components Inc. in Gary, Ind.  The young guy said, “ I was humiliated and embarrassed. It’s not right that homeless people can give blood but homosexuals can’t. And I’m not even homosexual.” Bio-Blood had no comment when Davich tried to contact them.

University of Texas
Photo by Jana Birchum

     Maybe someday the United States can follow in the footsteps like the United Kingdom who allow everyone to donate blood with a one-year deferral. It first starts with bringing this awareness to the forefront not just other parts of the United States but right here in Santa Clarita Valley and Los Angeles. It begins with people standing up and asking questions. The University of California, Los Angeles found that over 219,000 more pints of blood could be donated annually each year if this ban was changed to the one-year deferral process. The HIV virus is not only transmitted through men, but it is unbiased when in comes to gender so the policy is inaccurate. Researchers have proven that blood is tested thoroughly with modern day technology. With leading nations already using new methods for processing donors the United States can see it works. We must put ourselves in everyone’s shoes before judgment and stigmas are made on a group of people who are only trying to help humanity.