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San Jose State University Halts Blood Drives

By Tanya Paperny - Feb 1st, 2008 at 5:52 pm EST

Also listed in: Campus Progress Blog

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Tags: blood donation, campus, lgbt, LGBT rights, sjsu

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San Jose State University's President put all campus blood drives on hold because of the policy that gay men can't donate blood. He says this violates the school's nondiscrimination policy.

I'm torn - the Queer Student Union at my alma mater organized around this issue, wearing t-shirts that read "Will you donate blood for me?" Gay-identified males would wear it, asking people at the blood drive to donate on their behalf. It served as a great education tool - people would then ask, "why can't you donate blood?"

But halting the drives altogether? It seems to make more sense to attempt to address the policy than create a blood shortage. However, little has been done to address this glaring inequality. Why can't men who've ever had sex with men donate blood?

What do you all think?

Reader Comments

Gay Blood Donation

By Truman Capote Feb 2nd 2008 at 12:34 am EST

Sure, it makes a lot of sense for SJ State to stop blood donations because queers blood is not in demand.

I wouldn't want that blood in me if I were lying there dying.

(Now all the fags will come back with, "We all wish you WERE lying there dying" or some such clever witticism).

Pathetic. California liberal lunacy.

Re: Gay Blood Donation

By Caitlin Bowling Feb 3rd 2008 at 12:45 pm EST

I guess you would rather die than have blood from a woman or African American as well.

I feel sorry for you and the hate that you carry with you. It must be difficult to bear the weight of hate. Try love. It is so much lighter.

HIV/AIDS

By Caitlin Bowling Feb 3rd 2008 at 12:40 pm EST

I feel like the American Red Cross is living somewhat in the past where it was believed that only homosexuals can contract HIV/AIDS. Considering that they test the blood beforehand, I do not see any reason who homosexuals should not be allowed to give blood.

Re: HIV/AIDS

By chris Feb 3rd 2008 at 11:28 pm EST

While it's wrong to say that Aids is a 'gay' problem, it is a fact that those in the homosexual community are more likely than the general population to have it.

Just witness the fact that the ONLY place i've seen adverts for HIV medication is in gay neighborhoods and magazines.

For The Common Good

By Erika A Feb 4th 2008 at 12:07 am EST

I agree with Tanya – I’m almost torn too. Like Caitlin said, the Red Cross is living in the past. There is absolutely no reason why men who have had sex with other men should not be able to give blood and it shocks me that this policy still exists. And sometimes the only way to see change is to react firmly in a way to force your opponent to listen to you, but unfortunately a blood shortage already exists. As a previous donor, just in the past week, I’ve received two phone calls urging me to give blood. And having received a blood transfusion as a baby, I would never want to see the blood supply be so short that people would be denied blood. While halting blood drives may get the Red Cross to listen, it would be truly tragic to lose any lives. I think that other methods (maybe a phone campaign) of pressuring the Red Cross to change this policy would do more for the common good.

Just another PC stunt

By gogman Feb 4th 2008 at 9:01 pm EST

It very interesting that the politically correct "discrimination" card was played to ban the blood drive when, in fact, SJU officially endorses and sponsors discrimination by allowing a racist student association to have a home on the campus.

What group is this you ask? Why it's none other than San Jose State University Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (M. E.Ch.A.). Link

They have an official "raza day" (race day), they use derogatory terms like "gringo" and "gabacho", to describe those not "la raza de dronze" (the bronze race) and openly state "For la raza todo. Fuera de la raza nada." (For the race everything. Outside the race nothing.)

Where is the outcry over this genuine racism and discrimination? Does SJU condone racism as long as it practiced by a minority?

The ban on gay men donating blood at least has some basis in historical fact (Ryan White Link and Elizabeth Glaser Link come to mind), can the same be said of the open racism of Mecha?

This is just another PC stunt designed to "shame" anyone who does not tow the PC line.

Re: Just another PC stunt

By Tanya Paperny Feb 5th 2008 at 12:13 pm EST

Basis in historical fact? I beg to differ. While I'm still not sure I agree with the halting of the blood drive, there is no rational reason to continue excluding men who've had sex with men from giving blood.

See Link

The policy that any man who's had sex with another man since 1977 can't donate was instated in the 80s, when the AIDS panic was at its highest. More is known now about the virus.

Furthermore, donated blood is always tested for HIV, among other things.

While the cases of White and Glaser are tragic, there remains no reason to continue preventing gay men from donating. This would be especially inconsistent since "heterosexual men and women who have unprotected oral, anal and vaginal sex and multiple sex partners, and who have unknown HIV status" can donate without restriction.

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