Because accidents make you think of things you should be doing anyway...

[hellziggy]

I was actually at Memorial Blood Center's main office this morning and saw their sign about there being a critical shortage of Type O Blood right now. I was even planning on doing a "Go donate blood" post.
Then the bridge fell.
No matter what your blood type is, go donate if you are able, but ESPECIALLY if your blood type is O! (Hellbob, I'm looking at you!)

Comments

[denied-heaven.livejournal.com]

i wish i could!
but since i was in germany in the 80's they all think i have mad cow disease *weird look*
bastards

[hellziggy.livejournal.com]

And here we all thought you were just naturally crazy... *giggle*

[mle292.livejournal.com]

Well, unless of course, you're gay.

They really don't want blood from gay men, even if they're in monogamous, committed relationships or consistently use safe practices.

Yeah, I'll still go, but I'm always annoyed that they'll plead for blood and then turn away perfectly good donors just because it's a group that it's still okay to discriminate against.

[hellziggy.livejournal.com]

Well, you'll just have to be sure to lie to them so that they don't find out that you are really a gay man!

It annoys me too. Especially since the groups AIDS is spreading fastest through aren't gay men.

[genevra.livejournal.com]

I'm curious... If you're gay but closeted, can you donate? Or if you donate, but then finally admit to yourself you're gay, will they give the blood back?

[genevra.livejournal.com]

Interesting... they don't post anything in their eligibilty guidelines about sexual orientation...

http://www.redcross.org/services/biomed/0,1082,0_557_,00.html

[mle292.livejournal.com]

It's under HIV/AIDS

What it specifically says is:

You should not give blood if you have AIDS or have ever had a positive HIV test, or if you have done something that puts you at risk for becoming infected with HIV.

You are at risk for getting infected if you:

SNIP

are a male who has had sexual contact with another male, even once, since 1977

The highest risk group is currently prostitutes. Because economics tends to force the least employed people into prostitution, black women are currently the largest growing risk group for HIV/AIDS. Prostitution is genuinely risky behaviour as far as sexually transmitted diseases are concerned, that's why "sex for money" or "sex for drugs" is in the group that should not donate.

Just being a gay man is not actually any more risky than being a black woman, though.

[genevra.livejournal.com]

Ah, missed that. Thanks!

[hellziggy.livejournal.com]

MLE explained it all pretty well down below.
Basically they don't discriminate against you being gay, they discriminate against men having buttseks. You can be gay and donate as long as you have never had sex with another man. They consier the gay buttseks to be just as bad as living in Africa as far as AIDS transmissions.

[wickedgroovy.livejournal.com]

Good idea Hellziggy! They really do need more blood for the victims - in fact all the bloodbanks around the country are low. Everyone should donate if you can, wherever you are.

[genevra.livejournal.com]

Can you donate while pregnant?

[genevra.livejournal.com]

Just checked the Red Cross guidelines. Nope. :(

[kalfoley.livejournal.com]

I donated for the first time yesterday! I am type O...

[hellziggy.livejournal.com]

Hooray!!!!!!
And you remembered your LJ login! hee hee!