Posted on 10/17/2005 4:23:05 PM PDT by Recovering_Democrat
Will and his partner are like a well-oiled machine when it comes to making their morning coffee.
Will, wanted to donate blood: We never had a fight. Never had one fight.
They have been in a monogamous relationship for five years and recently the couple was moved by the images of the devastation left behind by hurricane Katrina.
Will: I went to donate blood, because I felt like I needed to do something for the hurricane victims.
But before will could even roll up his sleeves, he was told his blood was unwanted. The reason - it wasn't because he was sick or had visited a third world country. Instead, it was because he honestly answered the blood center's survey.
Will: They gave me a questionnaire to fill out and one of the questions was have you ever had sex with a man since 1977. Of course I answered yes.
And with that, Will was told it's perfectly acceptable to be an openly gay man, just not a gay blood donor.
Will: I was turned down because I was gay. I was told that was why I could not donate blood.
For Will, it makes no sense. He feels in this time of need, his blood should be tested before it's turned down. Not to mention, all men and women - regardless of sexual preference - pose a risk. Now, Will says denying his donation is just wrong.
Will: I was in shock more than anything. I just couldn't believe it.
Employees at South Florida's blood centers say Will's not the only one complaining.
Will: A couple of calls from people, particularly those that are in monogamous homosexual relationships, questioning the policy.
But the decision to prohibit only gay men - not gay women - from giving blood comes from the federal government not local blood centers. The food and drug administration has banned gay men from donating since 1983, during the height of the Aids scare.
Will: I know this particular policy has been reviewed in recent years, and there's a push to review it again.
You can count will as one of the people hoping to revise the rule.
Will: It's outdated. I really feel the FDA needs to revisit this law and join us in the new millennium.
Especially in a day and age where there are constant shortages of blood. Will believes it's time to recognize gay men as an untapped resource.
Will: A high population of homosexuals wants to donate blood are safe and monogamous.
"Yes, another good point. My point about the patient being able to determine the value of his care is also valid."
Yes it is.
I just noticed..."Will" doesn't have a last name. Hm.
My husband can't donate because he's been to Europe in the past few years.
They actually said that to him. I think it has to do with the mad cow disease they had a few years back.
Not one word in this "report" about the dangers of AIDS, HIV, or the prevalence of gay men to have either. Or any mention of the transmission vector: blood. Just a mention of an "AIDS scare."
You freepers remember that, don't you? The "AIDS scare" of the 80's? Kind of like the "tampered Tylenol scare" of that decade, or the "Swine flu scare" of the 70's? Just a lot of hype, right? Nothing really to worry about. Gay people are just as healthy as you or I, right?
Right?
I read something like this several years ago, right after 9/11, almost verbatim from the previous one IIRC. Looks like the propaganda hasn't changed one bit. Trying to change common sense protocols with a bunch of whining and complaining. I hope it doesn't work. I half expect Mother Sheehan to come along protesting about how Bush is fighting the wrong war.
Cool.. take the blood.. label it as from a gay... give it only to a gay if it knows who it came from..
ROTF! Just didn't have the guts to say it myself.
You'd be surprised. For many in the gay community being HIV+ is seen as a badge of honor.
Donating blood is not a right to be demanded. Lots of people can't donate.
So long as you test it for the same things you test hetero blood for, I don't really care.
I sure don't want his blood.
Queers corrupt anything they touch!
They changed a good word gay into something meaning vile and abnormal.
They try to corrupt our children.
They try to corrupt marriage.
Now they want to corrupt the blood supply!
Yea, and my son can't ever donate blood again, simply because he's lived for the last 3 years in Africa, working for the Peace Corps. Why take the chance??
I, use commas where they don't belong. Seriously, what language is that supposed to be?
Scare, my little hemophiliac nephew contracted AIDS through a blood transfusion during this period and lived a horrible NIH life before succumbing to the disease. Before the FDA made this ruling, blood banks and the Red Cross were forbidden from asking a donor about their sexuality, because of political pressure from gay rights groups.
Last time I donated a couple of years ago, the question was limited to England during certain years /certain lenghts of stay for an absolute ban. There was a separate question dealing with trips out of the country. They would then list where you had gone, but take the blood subject to further review. I think that one had a 6 month look back.
Typical of WSVN, Miami's Fox station. This isn't news, it's just provocative, so WSVN goes with it. PS: One of their "anchors" is a queer.....advancing an agenda, perhaps?
Oh, yeah...WSVN's lead weather guy is now doing hard time for pedophilia. Nice news operation they have going, there.
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