Pride protests bad blood

In 1982, Wisconsin outlawed discrimination based on sexual orientation, in 2009, New Hampshire recognized same-sex marriage, but in 2010, homosexuals still cannot donate blood.

In 1977, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruled against the right of men who had sex with other men to donate blood.

According to the FDA, men who have had sex with men account for the largest single group of blood donors who are found HIV positive by blood donor testing.
In 2010, not everyone is taking this ruling sitting down.

Keene State College Pride President Matthew Gill rallied Pride together to protest in the L.P. Young Student Center during a blood drive held by the American Red Cross Feb. 15.
Gill said Pride started this "bad blood protest" in an effort to raise awareness.
"We think giving of blood as an amazing thing you can do and a great gift, but we were just saying maybe not give blood that day, in recognition that everyone that would like to give blood can't because of a discriminatory policy," Gill said.

At the protest, Pride received 500 signatures to help repeal the FDA policy. 
Gill said he will go to the Student Assembly to ask for student body representation on a letter Pride plans to send to the FDA.

"We want to ask them, to tell them that Keene State College does not accept this discriminatory policy and we're not okay with it existing," Gill said.
According to Gill, Pride is going to ask the college’s lawyers to draft a letter to the FDA from the college.

"It's not like we're breaking ground in knowing something that is discriminatory, we're just bringing awareness to this campus and to make an effort making sure that this doesn't exist anymore," Gill said.  "If nothing else comes out of it we'll know that we've educated this community in a way that's going to be beneficial for the future."

The Red Cross holds the responsibility of collecting half the nation's blood supply and, although the Red Cross takes part with the FDA concerning this policy against homosexual men donating blood, individual members don't necessarily agree.

The Executive Director of the New Hampshire West chapter of the Red Cross, Janet Warren, said the Red Cross has to follow the FDA guidelines or else face a million-dollar fine.

"We've given expert testimony for dozens of years on this and it still hasn't changed [the FDA’s] minds," Warren said.

According to Warren, despite the protest, the Red Cross met its donation goal at the blood drive  at KSC.

"College students are great and they're willing to do whatever for those that need blood and every unit of blood can help save the lives of up to five people," Warren said.
In New Hampshire this year, 16-year-olds can donate blood after going through the student legislature.  Warren said speaking with politicians who hold influence with the FDA would be the best thing to do in asking for change.

Word traveled fast as the protest sparked a classroom discussion at Franklin Pierce University due to an article published in the Keene Sentinel.

"A political science class at Franklin Pierce started having a conversation about activism and the teacher had shown the class this article in the Keene Sentinel," Gill said.  "Some people in that class are in a Gay Straight Alliance and they got in contact with us."
Pride sent sophomore and OUTspoken Pride member Michael Martin to FPU as a representative.

According to Martin, this issue arose at the onset of the AIDS epidemic.
“To me, the FDA policy is incredibly discriminatory and the fact that I can never give blood again is actually quite a painful thought for me," Martin said.

Martin briefed those students on the issues surrounding the policies as well as the American Red Cross on how to protest at their own upcoming blood drive.
According to Martin, FPU's Gay Straight Alliance is excited to be involved.
"It is a wonderful feeling to know that what I have done on my own campus with my friends has quickly become influential and other schools want to join us in repealing the FDA's policy," Martin said.

Martin said he enjoyed spreading the message that HIV/AIDS does not discriminate to people before and after the protest.

"It can affect anyone, so why should the FDA uphold their policy of discrimination?  I would love to see this policy repealed some day and I hope that I can one day donate blood again," Martin said.

Justine Miller can be contacted at jmiller@keeneequinox.com.