During the blood drive held Sept. 14–16, the Queer Political Action Committee circulated a petition protesting the policy that forbids any man who has had sex with another man since 1977 from donating blood.
Though the policy was first implemented in 1983 in response to concerns about HIV, the Federal Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability voted against lifting the ban this summer.
Jessica Mitter '13 and Gabriel Schwartz '13, co-directors of the Queer Political Action Committee, wrote the petition and hosted a table on the Main Green collecting signatures. After three days, they collected 821 signatures, representing what Schwartz described as a "good cross-section of students and faculty."
The petition, which can be found online, states: "It is our belief that this policy is needlessly discriminatory, generalizing and ultimately homophobic."
Schwartz said he hopes that the group will ultimately send the petition to the Food and Drug Administration, which directs blood donation policy. He also mentioned the possibility of sending it to the Rhode Island congressional delegation.
The ban has been the subject of heated debate. The FDA stands behind the policy, citing on its website that its "primary responsibility is to enhance blood safety and protect blood recipients." The Red Cross takes a different stance, though, and recommends a one-year waiting period instead of a lifetime ban.
Though some college campuses have banned blood drives on campus in protest of the policy, Schwartz said his group did not have this in mind.
"Part of our message is that we think it's discriminatory, but we also want to save as many lives as possible," he said, adding that the committee plans to circulate the petition at blood drives in the future.
