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Newsflash: bisexuals/pansexuals exist!
Nov. 7th, 2011 11:56 amToday the UK's lifetime ban on blood donation by men who've had sex with men (MSM) was lifted. This change is reflected in the online donor health check questionnaire: good.
Me, however: I've just got off the phone with the Blood Service on my own account, because what they haven't done is edit the donor health check to reflect the reality that some women have sex with MSM, and a situation where a woman can't donate blood because she's having sex with a man who can is clearly preposterous. (Yes, I am using binary language here. No, it doesn't make me happy. No, the blood service doesn't really believe in trans* people in any useful sense full stop, insofar as I've discussed the issue with them.)
Luckily they agree that the situation I describe above is clearly preposterous, and have explained that it's not actually what they mean. Whether or not they'll change the website remains to be seen, but in the meantime... I can donate blood again!
Me, however: I've just got off the phone with the Blood Service on my own account, because what they haven't done is edit the donor health check to reflect the reality that some women have sex with MSM, and a situation where a woman can't donate blood because she's having sex with a man who can is clearly preposterous. (Yes, I am using binary language here. No, it doesn't make me happy. No, the blood service doesn't really believe in trans* people in any useful sense full stop, insofar as I've discussed the issue with them.)
Luckily they agree that the situation I describe above is clearly preposterous, and have explained that it's not actually what they mean. Whether or not they'll change the website remains to be seen, but in the meantime... I can donate blood again!
