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A group of protesters gather on the steps of the MU Wednesday to protest FDA regulations that prohibit men who have had sex with men at any time since 1977 from donating blood.

Protesting when the FDA says 'no'

Students lead silent protest against FDA regulations that say gay men can't give blood

By: Katy Weaver

Posted: 5/15/08

They stood in silence for an entire hour on the steps of the MU. Their signs spoke for them: "I want to save a life, but I can't, I'm gay."

Yesterday, a group of students and community members united to protest against the American Red Cross, Food and Drug Administration and the Blood Drive Association's regulations which prevent gay men from giving blood.

The protest was organized and led by Nicholas Rhodes, a junior in speech communication.

"I told people that I was turned away at the blood drive because I was gay, and none of the people knew or had heard that they did that," Rhodes said. "That is when I decided I needed to let people know about this."

According to the FDA website, "Men who have had sex with other men (MSM), at any time since 1977 (the beginning of the AIDS epidemic in the United States) are currently deferred as blood donors.

"This is because MSM are, as a group, at increased risk for HIV, hepatitis B and certain other infections that can be transmitted by transfusion," said the website.

The FDA regulations are nothing but discriminatory, according to Rhodes

"All gay blood is refused. If you are a man who has sex with a man, even once since 1977, you are assumed to have HIV. Even women who have had sex with a man who has had sex with a man can't give blood. I'm not trying to say anything bad about the Red Cross, but regulations need to change to say a 'person,' not a gay man."

Erika McQuillen, the BDA president at OSU and junior in civil engineering, said that the ARC and BDA are advocates for change, but cannot do anything until the FDA changes its policies.

McQuillen also stressed that although they might not be able to give blood, the protesters can help the blood drive through volunteering.

"We have spoken with some of the people protesting and we want to hold forums and create an action plan to help them and have them help us," McQuillen said.

"We want this to be a good relationship. We don't want animosity. Our goal is to save lives and educate the community."

The protesters were not advocating that people not give blood, however, they were merely protesting what they felt was discrimination.

"I don't want people not to give blood, but when you take out a whole group of people, that's wrong, it's f---ed up," Rhodes said.

"I am O-negative, I'm HIV negative, and I qualify in every single other mark. The only reason I am turned away is because of the people I love."

"The main reason I came to support wasn't just because this affects gay men, but because it affects people who need blood, too," said Troy Fultz, a senior in business administration, who participated in the protest. "They are turning away a lot of people."

The FDA sites many reasons for why gay men can't give blood.

"Surveillance data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that men who have sex with men and would be likely to donate have a HIV prevalence that is at present over 15-fold higher than the general population, and over 2000-fold higher than current repeat blood donors (i.e., those who have been negatively screened and tested) in the USA. MSM continue to account for the largest number of people newly infected with HIV."

Similar protests to the one held yesterday "have happened on many other campuses and internationally as well," said Scott Waggoner, a graduate student in geography and BDA adviser. "We want their efforts to be heard."

Katy Weaver, assistant news editor

news@dailybarometer.com, 737-2231