June 27th, 2012 around 10:00pm
Permalink | wanna Reblog? | reblogged from: fearlessfeminist

fearlessfeminist:

rabbleprochoice:

mothernaturenetwork:

U.S. blood supply dips to ‘emergency’ level
The Red Cross has collected 50,000 fewer donations than expected for the month of June.

Anyone who can donate blood, should. Blood transfusions save lives and it’s very simple for people to donate.

Now, if only gay men would be allowed to donate, the amount of blood the Red Cross has could increase quite a bit.

Love,

Rabble

I wish I could donate blood to a place that doesn’t care if my boyfriend sucks dick, but people need help, so I guess I just have to deal. Goddammit it.

As a reminder, the Red Cross is not the arbiter of who can and cannot donate blood. The Red Cross and the remainder of the blood banking industry is not self-regulating. These limitations and requirements are from the Food & Drug Administration and are essentially federal law.

The Red Cross has repeatedly lobbied to change the HIV-related guidelines to be more reflective of current medical knowledge about HIV-transmitting behaviors and risk groups, and risk periods, and the FDA has refused to modernize their standards, while simultaneously further narrowing the donor pool due to CJD (aka mad cow disease) concerns with people who lived/spent time in Europe.

The Red Cross, as the largest blood banking organization in the US, bears the brunt of too much ignorance, people assuming (and erroneously repeating) the idea that they’re running some sort of homophobic campaign to keep men who have sexual contact with other men out of the blood donor pool, and nothing could be further from the truth. People need to lay the responsibility for this issue where it belongs, which is the FDA.

Meanwhile, every single blood donation can save up to three lives, when that donation is separated into its component parts. O negative blood is always especially needed. If you’re eligible to donate, please do so. The FDA rules may be offensive, but they should not be a reason why you should boycott donating. Not having blood when it’s needed can cost people’s lives.

fearlessfeminist: rabbleprochoice: mothernaturenetwork: U.S. blood supply dips to ‘emergency’ levelThe Red Cross has collected 50,000 fewer donations than expected for the month of June. Anyone who can donate blood, should. Blood transfusions save lives and it’s very simple for people to donate. Now, if only gay men would be allowed to donate, the amount of blood the Red Cross has could increase quite a bit. Love, Rabble I wish I could donate blood to a place that doesn’t care if my boyfriend sucks dick, but people need help, so I guess I just have to deal. Goddammit it. As a reminder, the Red Cross is not the arbiter of who can and cannot donate blood. The Red Cross and the remainder of the blood banking industry is not self-regulating. These limitations and requirements are from the Food & Drug Administration and are essentially federal law. The Red Cross has repeatedly lobbied to change the HIV-related guidelines to be more reflective of current medical knowledge about HIV-transmitting behaviors and risk groups, and risk periods, and the FDA has refused to modernize their standards, while simultaneously further narrowing the donor pool due to CJD (aka mad cow disease) concerns with people who lived/spent time in Europe. The Red Cross, as the largest blood banking organization in the US, bears the brunt of too much ignorance, people assuming (and erroneously repeating) the idea that they’re running some sort of homophobic campaign to keep men who have sexual contact with other men out of the blood donor pool, and nothing could be further from the truth. People need to lay the responsibility for this issue where it belongs, which is the FDA. Meanwhile, every single blood donation can save up to three lives, when that donation is separated into its component parts. O negative blood is always especially needed. If you’re eligible to donate, please do so. The FDA rules may be offensive, but they should not be a reason why you should boycott donating. Not having blood when it’s needed can cost people’s lives.
    1. theolovonthdoctor reblogged this from rainbow-hammock
    2. rainbow-hammock reblogged this from mothernaturenetwork
    3. polarbear1986 reblogged this from applefaerie and added:
      I would, but ya know, I’m banned because of a stupid, bigoted, archaic rule from the days of GRIDS.
    4. sairawr reblogged this from trumpet-playing-bamf
    5. humboldtoctober reblogged this from rabbleprochoice
    6. isitisabel reblogged this from anachronistique
    7. meatsmell reblogged this from macguffin
    8. macguffin reblogged this from roxisangel
    9. applefaerie reblogged this from anachronistique and added:
      Please donate if you can. I do not, because of my history with Lyme disease, but I really urge others to if they are...
    10. lyki reblogged this from chicken420 and added:
      Honestly! I would love to give blood and I’ve tried many times, but because of my height and weight and sexual...
    11. johnnyonespur reblogged this from anachronistique and added:
      I have the O-negative blood that apparently they need so much, and in the past I’ve given literally gallons of blood...
    12. one-mad-squirrel reblogged this from niqaeli and added:
      After 9-11 I called the Red Cross and got on their donor list. There isn’t a permanent blood donation site in my little...
    13. waywren reblogged this from anachronistique
    14. saucysoullesskangaroo reblogged this from mothernaturenetwork
    15. iamababs reblogged this from perseidbadger and added:
      donate… Donate...again.Yes internet. There
    16. cinnacorn reblogged this from elendramear
    17. rainerpism reblogged this from perseidbadger
    18. stumpthegreat reblogged this from wanderingsong and added:
      +1 to everything everyone said
    19. sassholio reblogged this from mothernaturenetwork and added:
      if you can, I can’t because I’m anemic.
    20. rainbowsrillusions reblogged this from perseidbadger and added:
      Welp, seeing as I’m a total bloodstud (O+ bloodtype, hey ladies) it’s up to me to save the day. No need to thank me, but...
    21. perseidbadger reblogged this from anachronistique
    22. backstagebethy reblogged this from anachronistique and added:
      I hate giving blood (I do platelets now and it takes foreverrrr) but I do it anyway. Sometimes they have to hound me to...
    23. bjorkubus reblogged this from subjectoftowels and added:
      Gonna go on an iron regimen for a couple of weeks and then try to donate. I love donating blood. The whole experience...
    24. wanderingsong reblogged this from ourlightsinvain and added:
      +1 to the explanation (oh, FDA, you derpfaces)— I can’t donate, either, but damn fucking straight I would if I could.
    25. subjectoftowels reblogged this from anachronistique
    26. anachronistique reblogged this from ourlightsinvain and added:
      Note to self, donate blood before you get your next tattoo.
    27. rubycubey reblogged this from thecityhorse
    28. lizlemonfurrealz reblogged this from anatomyalice
    29. scoopzhaggendaz reblogged this from mothernaturenetwork and added:
      The vampires are becoming greedy
    30. cactusrabbit reblogged this from ourlightsinvain and added:
      I can’t donate blood due to iron-poor anemia, unfortunately. I hope that everyone who can donate does to make up for me...
    31. ourlightsinvain reblogged this from amaditalks and added:
      +1 to everything. I can’t donate, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t.
    32. twomoonsinthesky reblogged this from mothernaturenetwork and added:
      Then fucking let gay men donate blood instead of winging about it.
    33. niqaeli reblogged this from amaditalks and added:
      I absolutely would if I could and when I was growing up I always planned to start donating as soon as I was old enough...
    34. aliveagaintoday reblogged this from amaditalks
    35. km2139 reblogged this from theweekmagazine

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