Is it in you to give? warning* some restriction may apply

Recently, as I was heading to work at the bar on my universities campus (University of Waterloo) I biked by blood donor trucks that had come to the university as a mobile donation center. Set up in our student life center, every once in a while they access a group of students that won’t go out of their way to donate. While this is all well in good, it makes me a little sad. I am sad because in Canada I cannot legally donate blood essentially for the fact that I am a gay man.

In most discussions I have with people about the issue of gay men and donating blood in Canada they don’t realize that this is something that is even a “thing”. When I first heard about this I was in high school and when I discussed it with my family, they had a similar reaction to most other people. Their reaction was essentially one of disbelief. That this wasn’t something that could still be happening in Canada.  So, I would prove it to them with a simple Google search.

It came to pass in 2013 that Canada finally stopped the ban on gay men from donating blood.

What a relief, eh? Articles titled “CANADA TO EASE RESTRICTIONS ON GAY MEN DONATING BLOOD – ARE CHANGES TO RESTRICTIONS ON GAY MEN DONATING SPERM TO FOLLOW?”

and “New blood donation rules take effect in Canada two decades after tainted-blood inquiry”

At first glance I thought this was quite progressive. Then I went onto read the articles and found out that that it only applies if you abstain from sex for five years. It feels like a big slap in the face. I realized that it was merely wishful thinking that had me thinking they would lift the ban. How silly.

This excerpt from the globe and mail summarizes the reason why I struggle to understand how this great new law will change anything.

The five-year rule is non-negotiable, even if a potential donor has had their blood screened and is perfectly healthy.

“We can’t make exceptions,” said Marc Plante, a CBS spokesperson.

Plante also said that no publicity was warranted because the new eligibility criteria is unlikely to lead to many new donors. So it just sounds like a whole hullabaloo to try and seem like change is being made, but really it just rubs salt in some wounds. 

When I hear the campaign “Blood, it’s in you to give”, I cringe a little. I know there are many criteria that limit blood donation, if you have traveled, if you had a disease, etc. The only problems is that most people don’t realize that orientation is one of them.

I don’t really know what there is to be done about it. But I wonder why this antiquated system must stay in place when blood is screened anyways. This may be a result of a system I don’t understand.

When I go to the blood donor website I laugh, kind of.

They say “Be the type to save a life by donating”

and my personal favorite “What is your excuse”

My excuse is a pretty damn good one I would say. I guess my type and their type just seem to differ.