This of course only applies in areas where blood has not been commodified. But if you live in a place where the medical system hasn't been completely corrupted by capital, you should do it.
And yes do it for others, but do it for yourself too. It lets you, for half an hour every few months, exist in a totally profitless environment where members of the community voluntarily gather to give to other members of the community they will never meet. Do it to remind yourself how many people on your community who don't identify as leftists participate in something like this.
Giving blood is Kropotkin's coast guard ideal.
I'm not saying giving blood is praxis, or that it will bring about the revolution, but it's an opportunity to temporarily escape our neoliberal hellworld.
Is this still part of the criteria?I remember hearing that eligibility restrictions based on sexual activity are different now.https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/how-to-donate/eligibility-requirements.htmlYep,
“Defer for 3 months from the most recent sexual contact, a man who has had sex with another man during the past 3 months.” All U.S. blood collection organizations must follow this federal requirement.
I could but a lot of them discriminate against queer people so I don't feel comfortable going.
Gay men who have sex within like two years of trying to donate are not allowed to in America
Since COVID started, where I lived they lowered it to six months.
sorry but i am too busy manhavingsexwithmen in the last six months to do a praxis
If you "can't" because you're gay, just lie. It's not hard. They can't prove that you fuck.
I know I shouldn't be surprised that this is still a thing but what the fuck?
Gay sex has historically been an HIV transmission risk, but that's obviously been made redundant by testing. Unwillingness to change the policy is motivated by the obvious reasons.
But this is just in the US. I think they just reversed a similar policy in Germany? And I
knowthought Canada got rid of it years ago. So YMMV.Also worth noting that the "problem" is anal, not just being gay, in case that's someone concern. And again, be gay do crime. So. :shrug-outta-hecks:
Still an issue in Canada, though it might eventually get fixed....at some point.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/blood-ban-canada-changes-1.6250434
I swear we've been on the brink of repealing that ban since like 2006, so I wouldn't hold my breath.
But this is just in the US. I think they just reversed a similar policy in Germany?
In France the shitheads only started to reverse it in 2018, and only if said gay people promised they had had no sexual activity in the last four months (which, what the fuck). And only a few months ago - this past summer - did they finally reverse it completely.
it's stigma from the aids crisis and in the past due to the stigma against being gay, gay men were forced to engage in risky sexual practices like sex with near strangers in order to have sex at all. That's a big part of why the gay community was hit worse by aids than the straight community
It used to be in the donation checklist here in Wales, up until like a year ago.
I like to refer to my donations in terms of how many milk jugs it would fill. I do this solely to gross out my girlfriend because I'm a massive child. Still I'm going to hit 8L (2gallons) next donation :arm-R: 🩸 that's a lot of breakfast cereal
What place is it where blood has not been commodified? Nowhere in the US obviously.
I assume nowhere in the US yeah, but not all of us live there comrade
But most do. The caveat is so big as to make this useless advice for the vast majority of your audience. Honestly that episode I posted has given me a jaundiced view of any claims towards blood "donation". If you look into the industry in your locality I'm almost certain you'll be disappointed too.
I don't know what to tell you comrade, if this post doesn't apply to you you can just keep scrolling.
Honestly your tone makes it seem like you're prickly because I posted some non-US content. Whether you intended it or not I get kind of chauvinist vibes.
Not at all. Don't make other posters waste their time researching situations you are aware of. If you know America is a shit place to donate, you should be happy to shit on America. (Honestly, you should be happy to shit on America every chance you get.) If you are certain your locality is safe, you should be happy to let other posters know that it is a good place to donate. But if you know something, and don't say something, it's posting negligence.
I think maybe you don't understand what chauvinist means comrade. The idea that before posting something that, again, is not about the US I need to check all 50 states to see what their different systems of blood donation are is chauvinist - it assumes a primacy of the perspective of those in the US.
Whether this applies to a comrade living in Vermont or not is not really my responsibility, that's why the disclaimer was at the top of the post.
All I'm asking is for you to tell us where your advice does apply and save your neighbors some effort and time verifying that your advice is good and valid.
I took care of warning the dirty lowdown American Hexbearians for you.
Please note, my Canadian Hexbearian comrades, that your country too is awash in blood money. I stopped donating blood when I realized mine was the only uncompensated labor in the blood supply pipeline. Canadian donors are throwing blood laborers in the global south under the bus. Tell your lib friends, "these veins will remain closed until all producers are justly compensated!" Worker solidarity is more important than generating revenue for the "blood charity" industry. Donors aren't just scabs, they're scabbing for free.
Ok, I listened to the episode. It was good; thanks for sharing it.
Basically, there are markets between the various blood banks where the usual market mechanics play out (although generally just competition between nonprofits FWIW). Which is bad, but the need for blood is still there. If it doesn't go to your own community, it will probably end up going to another that needs it, which is fine. They mention NYC as always in demand, and it would obviously be better if they didn't have to pay more for it, but it's still going into people's bodies and there are still shortages that can kill people.
So, like, it's still worthwhile although calling it "mutual aid" is definitely a stretch.
It's something that's worsened and cheapened by the capitalist society it exists in, but it's still valuable. It doesn't have to be totally pure to be important.
Very cool. Now apply this reasoning to "essential workers". Do you think boomers volunteering to man fast food counters for free are comrades?
Do you think cheeseburgers are necessary to keep the sick and injured alive?
I dunno. Lemme ask the homeless guy with a bag of McDonald's.
People also volunteer to feed homeless people, so I don't see what point you think you're making.
Mutual Aid is good. Supporting the charity industry just lines the pockets of capitalist wives and failsons.
Seriously. Whether or not it counts as "mutual aid" and whether or not you are compensated (which, yes, you should be), if you can and are allowed to donate blood, it's helpful and does one no harm.
Lots of people can't give blood.
I'm O+ which is the most common blood type, so I give blood as often as possible to make up for those who can't or won't.
I'm pretty sure they call me a man who has sex with men so I'm barred and will continue to refuse until they stop the shitty treatment of queer people.
I donated 5 times since covid started and now my iron levels are super low. Gotta hold off for a while until they recover.
I hate needles so fucking much. I've donated a few times but I damn near get a panic attack every time. Had to practice putting IVs in for a first aid class and that was fucking awful too.
