To the Editor:
I was not allowed to donate blood today because I have had sex with another man since 1977. Despite the fact that I have one exclusive sex partner and that neither of us has ever engaged in unsafe sex, I was not allowed to donate blood. Men who have had unsafe sex with dozens of female partners are allowed to donate blood, but I am not.
The nurse pleaded with me to understand that they cannot take into account personal circumstances and must rely on statistics only. What a warped understanding of statistics! People who have engaged in unsafe sex are more likely to have HIV than people who have safe sex or no sex. This is the cause-effect relationship they should be looking for to protect the blood supply. Any other correlative relationships remain the domain of prejudice and misunderstanding.
Apparently, Bob Dole's wife is the chair of the Red Cross.
