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Giving Blood


Guest Cal

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Guest Cal

A biomale buddy who doesn't know I'm trans (he thinks I'm a biomale, as does everyone I work with, and if they found out I have no penis it would ruin my life - not to sound dramatic) wants me to go with him to donate blood.

Is there any way they could like...I dunno, notice I'm lacking a Y chromosome or something like that? As you can tell I don't know nuts about science :P

But like, is there any way this could go terribly wrong for me? I CAN'T take chances. I'd really like to give blood and help out, but I can't jeopardize my identity.

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Guest kirsty

As far as I know there would be no way of them knowing this just from you donating blood, but wait for someone to reply who is positive on this before you take my word for this lol

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Guest Donna Jean

Cal.....Hon...

Maybe this will help a little....

Donor screening - Those who wish to donate Blood must answer questions about their health, lifestyle and risk factors. A donor center employee then interviews potential donors regarding their medical history. Based on the answers given, a deferral or exclusion of the candidate may be made. This process depends on the honesty of the candidate Blood donor.

And this....

Blood testing - After donation, the Blood is tested for such blood-borne agents as HIV, hepatitis and syphilis

So, maybe in the interview something would come up according to your answers...IDK...

I have given blood and was asked very little...

I think that the most important thing is the testing of blood for HIV....

Simple blood tests will not reveal X or Y chromosomes. That is not tested for.

So. do your home work and decide if it is for you or not....

Good Luck, Hon...

Donna Jean

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Guest julia_d

I had a sex health screening blood test a few years back.. didn't say anything about my gender or medication.. and they had a clear gender marker from the test on the result.. so.. maybe.. I think they can't avoid it but it shouldn't make any difference and I doubt they will say anything unless they feel how you present puts you in a high risk category.

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Guest Liam

They don't do any testing or any sort of thorough investigation about your gender. However, you do have to show an ID. So I guess it depends on what is written on your ID and how closely the person looks at it. I'd be willing to guess that if you look male and have a masculine name, they probably wouldn't even bother to look at the gender marker on your ID, though.

BUT, when you give blood, all the screening is done in a little private cubicle-type area. Technically, the people working there have to keep any information you give them confidential. So on the off chance that your info might out you, it should only do so to the one person who screens you and nobody else.

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Guest Leah1026

As far as I know the FDA still forbids transsexual people from donating blood period. The Red Cross has been trying to get the FDA to change this stupid rule for a few years, but it hasn't succeeded yet. Something to do with "risky lifestyle choices". :angry:

Maybe someday the FDA will join the rest of us in the 21st century.

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Guest Donna Jean

Good catch, Leah.....

I found this...

specifically forbids transsexuals from donating because of engaging in dangerous lifestyle activities!

What a dose of baloney!

GEEZ!

Donna Jean

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Guest Cody_T

That's stupid. I'm going to donate blood as often as possible until I change my records. Transsexual under the radar! ;) Plus, can't you get cash for it some places?

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Guest Martin

This topic has come up several times in an FTM community I belong to. Guys can and do donate their blood. Being on testosterone is not a problem either. However, if you say you had sex with a guy (and are a guy yourself) you are permanently banned from donating blood. I had sex with a boyfriend before transition and so cannot ever donate blood - even though I've had HIV tests and am negative and even though they'll retest the blood for HIV anyway.

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Guest angie

I was a regular blood and plasma donor for many years,gave gallons of each.

For ladies in transition,you can donate.BUT...If you are taking Finasteride/Proscar/Propeccia,

You Can Not Donate Your Blood.Blood donated with Finasteride in it can cause birth defects

in an infant.I could not take the burden of causing a new born to have a defect because of me.

Angie

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Guest Leah1026
If you are taking Finasteride/Proscar/Propeccia,

You Can Not Donate Your Blood.Blood donated with Finasteride in it can cause birth defects

in an infant.I could not take the burden of causing a new born to have a defect because of me.

Do you know what the major birth defect is?

How about feminization of a male fetus. It's true.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finasteride

They don't completely spell it out there, but I have read it elsewhere.

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Guest Liam
(according to the REd Cross site) Why aren't non-virgin gay men not allowed to donate, but gay women can?

HIV/AIDS has historically been much more prevalent in gay male communities than in lesbian communities. That certainly doesn't make the discrimination right, by any means, but that's their justification.

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The stupidity of the American Blood Banking System is unbelievable.

When I was in college, in the 70s (Free Love, the Sexual Revolution, Make Love Not war and If you can't be with the one you love, then love the one you're with) they would have school wide blood drives - pitting each organization against each other for percentage of participation.

I screwed up five groups, band, orchestra, jazz band and two service fraternities.

I was always anemic until I turned 22.

They screened us very carefully before they would draw the blood and then test it before saving it.

Why do I call this stupid?

Because at the same time these same people would go back to their offices and pay for blood from street people and winos and then have to throw it away, week after week with the same donors.

What would you call paying for blood that you knew you could not use when you had an almost unlimited supply of usable blood just a few blocks away - and it was a large metropolitan area with no less than 6 major Universities within a 60 mile radius - how much cheaper than paying the winos would it have been to just move the blood mobile to each university for a week?

Good blood free - bad blood expensive and yet to this day they are still buying blood and throwing it away - good things never change.

It would be better to take all of the money that they spend on bad blood each year and donate that to a shelter.

Just my simple solution, not complicated enough to ever be implemented.

Love ya,

Sally

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Hmm, well I've definitely never had sex with a man.

The gender marker on my state ID is male.

I'm just so nervous that some kind of question will pop up and they'll want me to strip or something. I know it's ridiculous but I lie awake at night being paranoid about this kind of thing.

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Guest Liam
Hmm, well I've definitely never had sex with a man.

The gender marker on my state ID is male.

I'm just so nervous that some kind of question will pop up and they'll want me to strip or something. I know it's ridiculous but I lie awake at night being paranoid about this kind of thing.

I think you're fine, then. When I give blood, they ask my name, gender, address, etc., and then they check my hemoglobin levels and my blood pressure, and then they ask questions about whether or not I've visited certain countries, am taking certain medications, or have had sex with certain groups of people, etc. I can't imagine any of these questions having the potential to reveal anything about your trans status. And, if at any point you are feeling uncomfortable or whatever, it's your right to stop the process at any time and say you've changed your mind about giving blood. I don't think you have anything to worry about. :)

Here are the eligibility requirements for donating blood, in case anyone is interested: http://www.redcross.org/eligibility

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Guest Jackson

This is certainly an eye-opening topic since I've continued to donate blood without a problem throughout my transition. The local blood center didn't even bat an eye when I explained it to them.

Now I do know that with the National Bone Marrow Donor program that you do have to keep your gender marked as your birth gender because they do deal with your genetic makeup. But even they never had a problem with me either.

My own 2 cents.

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Guest angie

From street people they pull the plasma,returning the red blood cells.

It is plasma they are paying for not blood.When you donate through a

blood center,non paying,they ask if your donation is for whole blood or

plasma.If plasma only,they separate your red cells from the white,and

put them right back in you.And it takes about three hours.Whole blood

is over in minutes.

Angie

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