Donating blood is one of the easiest and most convenient ways to save a life. For those of us who do not want to go to medical school or who do not currently wish to part with our vital organs, we can simply attend a local blood drive for an hour a few times a year to renew someone's chance at life. Dartmouth, along with colleges across the nation, has blood drives once a term where all members of the community are urged to donate a pint in order to serve the desperate need for blood in hospitals locally and nationally. Clubs, teams and other organizations encourage their members to donate blood in groups; many students donate blood out of social obligation as well as for moral reasons.
Not everyone can donate blood -- donors can be turned away for a variety of reasons associated with risk factors that the federal government has set. Most of these involve risky behavior such as drug use, prostitution and travel in certain foreign countries. There is, however, one "risk factor" that sticks out from the rest: men who have had sexual relations with other men even one time since 1977 -- before current Dartmouth students had even been born -- are prohibited from donating.
The logic behind this guideline is that there has historically been a higher rate of HIV/AIDS among sexually active gay males in the United States. While this has been true, we feel that a categorical ban of gay male donors is discriminatory. This restriction is based upon an identity, not upon behavior. A male who had oral sex with another male in 1977 is not able to give blood; a monogamous gay couple is similarly banned. This policy conflates being a man who has sex with other men with risk factors that should be screened for, such as someone who has unprotected sex with a variety of partners. This outdated guideline does not reflect current HIV statistics or recognize the power of safe sex campaigns within communities of all sexual orientations. It is also worth noting that the current policy is a double standard -- people who engage in the same risky acts with a partner of the opposite sex that men who have sex with men are barred from are prohibited from donating for a year, not for life.
Our nation suffers from a perpetual blood shortage. Men who have safe sex with other men, particularly in the context of a monogamous relationship, are no more "risky donors" than any other person. In light of this, the categorical discrimination against men who have had sex with men is illogical, detrimental to the blood supply, and discriminatory at a time where every pint matters.
Dartmouth's Gay Straight Alliance believes in the importance of saving lives through the blood drive, and we also wish to raise awareness of the discriminatory policy in hopes that with enough support, the Red Cross will change their guidelines. We will be volunteering at the blood drive on Wednesday to show our support and educate the Dartmouth community.
Please come talk to us and let us know what your feelings are and what you can do to help. Regardless of your opinions on discrimination in blood donation, please save a life and donate blood.
