Yesterday I decided to do my civic duty and donate blood. While reading paperwork I saw a statement saying you are not eligible to donate is you "Paid for sex" in the last 5 years. I was stunned and walked out telling the nurses I had something come up at work. I just thought it was funny they didn't include include casual sex that in my opinion is just as risky, if not more so. But I think I speak for all of us when I say "we don't pay for sex, just time". What are your experiences.

Providers are very assiduous in making sure that they and we are safe, whereas you don't often find that level of scrupulousness in casual bar encounters.

The same goes for the lifetime ban on gays donating blood, something the FDA insists on despite assurances to the contrary from the Red Cross, among others.

That just does not make sense for them to say you cant give blood if you have paid for sex and did not say if you have had multiple partners .. What is the difference ?
Also , your blood is tested throughly before it is used again .
It is always a good way to give back to your community and also they will test you for HIV which is an expensive test . If this had been me .. i would have  give anyway.  .. How do they know who you have or have not had sex with ? The Red Cross also tells  ppl who have tattoos that they cannot give blood . Just because you have a tattoo should not disqualify you to give blood .
I am not sure which state you are in but giving blood is an important part of yourself to "give' . With hurricane season right around the corner .. I would have ignored that silly  statement and give my blood . Someone will need it and I guarantee you they will not care how many sex partners you have had .Paid for or unpaid for .
In situations such as this one ... I go with my gut feeling as to what i feel is the right thing to do . FORGET about those damn pamplets .  Just give blood . Someone needs it !
-Layla

I simply cannot come up with any sympathy for anyone who is a victim of their own rules and policies.  The FDA, like every other government agency, is obviously way too powerful to be of any actual benefit to the people it serves.

My SO just told me of a local biz offering discounts if you donated blood, and I immediately thought of the list of reasons why one wasn't supposed to.  I shrugged it off and told her there wasn't anything there we needed, but encouraged her to go.  Thankfully, I've got a well documented fear of needles, so it didn't raise any eyebrows.

But the powers that be have other thoughts.  If the shortages get bad enough, maybe they will rethink their policies.