Here is a copy of the petition we used for the American Red Cross.

To:
American Red Cross National Headquarters
431 18th Street NW
Washington DC 20006

We, the undersigned, object to the policy prohibiting men who have sex with men since 1977, and women who have had sex with them, from donating blood to the Red Cross.

This policy is founded on outdated statistics regarding gay men's risk of contracting HIV. It is being upheld, despite teh fact that quesitons about unprotected sex could be more effective n screening donors who are at high risk for HIV, and despite the fact that straight black women are now the highest risk group.

Forbidding straight black women from donating blood would not and schould not be tolerated; it is discriminatory and ineffective. Continuing the gay blood ban is likewise discriminatory and ineffective, perpetuates the outdated stereotype that gay men are at the highest risk for HIV infection, and upholds the stigma that gay men already face.
Please remove these two items from your screening questionaire and find a more effective, non-discriminatory question to replace them.

Thank you.

Signature               Name            Address


back