Red Cross shouldn't put a limit on blood donors

From the time we all turn the age of 18 we are encouraged to go out and donate blood to organizations like the Red Cross. By participating in blood drives we can help save many lives and do a service for many people in need. Realistically we should all have the same opportunity to donate and make a difference, however certain restrictions have been placed which discriminate against specific groups of people based of general judgements and unfair statistics.

Out of all the people living in America on 38 percent of them are eligible to donate blood to the Red Cross. Out of that 38 percent, eight percent actually donate. This means that three out of every 100 Americans actually donates.

It would seem with such little availability to donors discrimination would not be as frequent when it comes to people wanting to offer their blood, but because of the restrictions set not just by the Red Cross but the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) possible donors have that right taken from them.

One of the biggest groups effected by these restrictions is Gay and Bisexual men. According the Red Cross' policy, a man that has had sexual content with another man, even once, sense 1977 cannot donate blood. This was set in place after the epidemic of the HIV/AIDS virus broke out in the 1980's. Many people say this is fair because this disease has been unfairly looked at as "the gay disease" and this is a way of eliminating a possible threat.

This of course is a generalization and should not be put into any legal policies. HIV/AIDS is a human disease with a possibility for anyone to contract it. Roughly one million Americans live with this disease in the United States. It is not right to eliminate one person because of their orientation who could be completely clean while another could possibly have it and still be eligible.

The policy also effects people simply based on where the person was born. People who were born or lived in certain parts of Africa including Chad, Congo, and Nigeria after 1977 cannot donate. This seems to say that all people living in these places contracted HIV/AIDS.

With so many limitations based on overviews, the fact is that these statistics are about people and how they are being judged. Certain policies are in place for a reason but when it becomes an issue of discriminating against a whole group of people, some whose blood could possibly help save a life, there needs to be some balance to help make everything right for all involved.