There are a plethora of reasons for a person to be rejected as a blood donor, and being a gay male is only one of them.

Tomorrow there will be a blood drive on campus and there, supposedly, is an outrage across campus because gay males will not be allowed to donate. This is due to federal regulations about blood donation collection and the leading facts that sexual contact between gay men is the largest reason that HIV/AIDS can be spread.

So should all of our gay male friends on campus be outraged? Maybe, but let’s look at the bigger picture here.

As a long-time blood and platelet donor, the process of donating blood is second nature to me. First, when you visit a donor site or drive, there is a donor questionnaire that essentially breaks down whether or not you will be allowed to donate blood.

The questionnaire is based on risk factors that rate the likelihood that you will pass down a blood-borne disease to the recipient(s) of your blood. Some of these questions do pertain to your sexual activity, but also cover topics that might not seem obvious, like travel outside of the U.S. and other basic medical history questions. Here is where I believe the outrage is supposed to stem from.

There are a few questions that directly ask male donors if they have ever had any sexual contact with another male (since 1977, based on when the HIV virus was first noted). Another question asks whether or not you have had sexual contact with anyone who has ever lived in or been to an African country. And another asks if you have ever had sex with someone for money or drugs, or if you’ve had sex with someone who has. The list covers just about anything you can think of, and some things you don’t.

Does this mean that only gay men should be outraged? Honestly, I do not think anyone should be upset here. People who can are donating blood to help save lives. End of story. If you can, great! If not, well, thanks for trying!

There are a plethora of reasons for a person to be rejected as a blood donor, and being a gay male is only one of them.

A healthy woman who weighs less than 110 pounds can’t donate. Having any of a number of blood clotting disorders disqualifies you as a donor. A woman who has had more than three pregnancies is not allowed to donate. Someone who has received more than two transfusions or a brain graft is not allowed to participate. The list can continue for many pages.

Does this make the “plight” of gay men across campus less important? I doubt it.

My healthy female friend who just got back from six months of missionary work in Ghana will not ever be allowed to donate. A co-worker of mine with hemophilia will not be allowed to donate. My sister’s boyfriend who has sickle-cell anemia will not be allowed to donate.

Are they furious? Absolutely not. Why? Because they know if the time comes where they need a blood transfusion, there will be a blood center able to supply clean blood to people in need: accident victims, newborn babies, cancer patients, surgery patients, anyone. This is all about the giving, not who CAN give.

If you really want to donate or feel social pressure to do so, there is still one last option to save face with your friends. During the medical review, you are asked whether or not your donated blood should be used. If you really want to donate but are unsure your blood is safe enough for someone else, use the “Do Not Use” option.

Just remember that all you are really doing with that is wasting the time of the volunteers and yourself. Donating blood is not about you, the donor, it is about the good your donated blood can do for the people who really need it.

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