The United States, Canada, France and Germany and many other countries presently maintain a lifetime donation ban for men who have had sex with other men. Recently, in some countries homosexual associations are aligning with advocacy groups, blood-collection agencies and government representatives to lobby their respective governments to lift the ban. Form letters are available on-line for sympathizers to sign and forward to their government agency.

            In the United Kingdom, the Red Cross argues that the ban is “outdated.” In the U.S., the Food and Drug Agency commissioned an advisory body to look at the issue. In June 2010, the Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability voted to maintain the current ban forbidding homosexuals from donating blood. A professor of pathology at the University of Texas warns that blood screening is not reliable and insists that “the rights of the recipients to receive safe blood should trump the asserted rights of donors to give blood.” (www.medscape.com). The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force called it “outrageous, irresponsible and archaic” (“Activists blast continued ban on gay blood donors,” Daily News, June 12, 2010).

            In Canada, Canadian Blood Services is suing Kyle Freeman, a sexually active gay man who lied about his sexual history in order to donate blood a number of times. Mr. Freeman is being supported by the “gay” community in Canada and portrayed as a loving, compassionate man who only wants to do good things. Mr. Freeman is counter-suing, saying that the policy discriminates against homosexuals.

            Canada’s Blood Services have said they will not lift the ban despite the agitation by Drs.Wainberg and Gilmore in Montreal in favour of it (see our website article: “Society must continue to ban “gay” blood donors,” June 4, 2010). These doctors, in turn, are supported by Toronto’s pro-abortion, pro-homosexual Globe and Mail (André Picard, “Lift ban on gay blood donors…” May 26, and again, John Allemang, “There won’t be blood,” Globe, F4, June 26, 2010).

Other attempts: “transgendered” people

            The “gay” blood controversy goes hand in hand with other attempts to broaden the “GLBT” assault on society, for example, to achieve recognition for “transgendered” people.

            Canadian homosexual activist and Member of Parliament Bill Siksay (NDP), with support from the Liberals, recently introduced a private member’s bill C-389, the Gender Identity and Gender Expression Bill. It passed first and second reading in the House of Commons practically unnoticed. It intends to ensure that “transsexual and transgender Canadians are included in the Canadian Human Rights Act.” Siksay says that the bill is “long overdue” and claims that “transCanadians” face discrimination daily—the usual “we are victims” approach. Conservative MP Sylvie Boucher, Parliamentary secretary for the government’s Status of Women however, answered that there needs to be a clearer understanding of “gender identity” and “gender expression” before changes can be made. (The Hill Times, 17 May 2010).

            Parliament has now gone on its summer holidays. If there is a fall election Bill C-389 will be automatically suspended. If not, it will move to discussion in Committee. Meanwhile, people should be aware that GLBT people constantly change their strategy.

            In February 2009, the gay, lesbian and bi-sexual (GLB) community in Canada issued a formal complaint against Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. It claimed that its “human rights” are being denied. This time it argued not for a moral right to equality, but to “equitable levels of programming support, based on needs when compared with programming supports for the general population and “other minority populations” [in Canada]. The “GLB” population is not included  as a priority population and, therefore, receives no dedicated funding “when addressing those health issues where GLB communities are disproportionately affected.” Thus today they want to be recognized as a priority minority population (based on the false argument that “transgendered” are born that way).

            The complaints accuse the government for not actively working to address Transgendered people’s  unique health wellness issues, issues such as the shortened life expectancy, high rate of suicide, habits of smoking, alcohol and illegal drug use, high rate of depression, HIV/AIDS, cancers, and the prohibition of blood and organ donation. (It is curious that GLB folks insists on donating blood and organs when they readily admit they are subject to diseases over and beyond other groups.)