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Student Starts Campaign to Let Gays Give Blood


James Stewart Jr. x390 (grab) | ADVOCATE.COM

James Stewart Jr., a Kansas City, Mo., college student, started a Facebook group after he was turned away from giving blood because he is gay.

The nurse registering donors "looked at me and said I'd be deferred indefinitely from giving blood, and essentially unless the rule was changed, it would be something I'd never be able to do," Stewart told WDAF TV, a Fox affiliate. "No one has ever told me before I couldn't do something based on my sexual orientation. This is the first time I've ever felt discriminated against."

Last month several U.S. senators asked the Food and Drug Administration to review the lifetime ban on blood donations by men who have had sex with men. The FDA said it is reexamining the policy.

The ban was implemented in 1992 and prohibits men who have sex with men from donating blood; the FDA said the measure was necessary to prevent the spread of HIV. The American Red Cross, America's Blood Centers and AABB endorse amending the law.

Stewart's Facebook group can be found here.

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Reader Comments
  • Name: Bloody Mary
    Date posted: 4/16/2010 8:37:32 PM
    Hometown: Bloodtown

    Comment:

    The ban is an FDA restriction and not a Red Cross restriction. Dont blame the Red Cross!

  • Name: Mark
    Date posted: 4/16/2010 7:56:47 PM
    Hometown: Wappingers Falls

    Comment:

    Currently a heterosexual with 1 million sex partners can donate blood but a gay man with 1 sex partner cannot. This is obvious homophobia and discrimination that says to people--you are no good and not worthy. Anybody ready for the revolution yet?

  • Name: Paschal
    Date posted: 4/16/2010 7:41:47 PM
    Hometown: Sligo, Ireland

    Comment:

    If I understand you correctly Doug, innocent people should be allowed to die because of the F.D.A. even if the ban is lifted. That's how the cause for equality and fairness progresses, let innocent people die.

  • Name: DOUG
    Date posted: 4/16/2010 7:12:13 PM
    Hometown: VB

    Comment:

    O Negative here- one of the only 3.5% of the ENTIRE population- the Red Cross can kiss my butt, they labeled me and refused my blood for 25 years, I wouldn't give it to them now if they begged me!



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