Susan's Place Transgender Resources

QuoteMost places won't let you give blood if you're trans.

Is it because you're trans or because you're a genetic male who's had sex with men? 

you're taking blood altering medication....  Hormones, in larger than natural dosages, and antiandrogens in a lot of cases...  You do realise both pregnant women and women taking menopausal hrt cannot give blood either? abnormal hormone levels = no bloodz.

Not everything is about bumsex, as fun as that could be to blame the world...

You are also banned from giving blood for a few years after going to a lot of tropical countries.

its after the taking blood from everone business and passing diseases through transfusions we decided to protect people by usuing only pure clean blood... ( NOT PURE AS IN NORMAL/CIS/STRAIGHT, dont start ><)

I don't know that much about blood count and screening and what documentation of what meds you are taking are necessary for one to produce to donate blood, but I can see a blood bank possibly turning you away if you are TS, not necessarily out of ignorance but out of not knowing what to do with a  history of having male birth gender and taking female hormones and androgen blocker.

OK now you may proceed to throw rotten veggies at me, I brought my umbrella this time. ;D

Cindy

the whole blood thing never occurred to me. I keep meaning to go give blood, I better get my ass in gear before I can no longer do it.

I give blood regularly.  Maybe it's only MTF transition...?

Starbuck --

Their ain't no such thing as "pure clean blood." Everybody has nasty stuff in their blood, at least nasty to any other human. Many people who are on medications donate blood. I know a diabetic who's been donating blood for decades. They used to ban him (because of the insulin), until they determined that the amount of synthetic insulin in his blood is not a risk to anyone for anything. Similarly with e and spiro. You won't make a man sterile by the tiny dose he'll get from a pint of your blood. There is a short list of drugs that are not allowed, but neither estradiol nor spironolactone are on it, nor any other variety of HRT.

What is a BIG no-no is any male-male sexual contact since 1977. And, indeed, that has everything to do with bumsex.

Anyway, that's the story here. Read more here (http://www.bonfils.org/donate_blood/eligibility/) (my local blood center). If you have a similar page for your local blood center (part of NHS I suppose?) I'd be happy to read it.

~Alyssa

*sigh*, I know theres a no man-man thing.... but the m2f thing IS because of hormone levels.... and more importantly, the blood altering qualities of antiandrogens. As i said, its also a factor of artificially high levels, not for the fear of making someone sterile, or growing boobs, its just done.... as you said... your friend WAS banned for the same reason. STOP presuming, and listen to someone whos father has worked for the nhs for 30 blooming years and is a director at SHA level...

Sorry, I'm a nerd. When someone tells me something, I want to know the reason behind it.

I won't just take your word on it, since I've seen contrary evidence everywhere I've looked. And I was beeing a bit facetious, in response to your slightly flippant "bumsex" reference.

My diabetic friend is no longer ineligible. He's been completely reliant on synthetic insulin since before he was old enough to donate, but they lifted the restriction, and since then he's donated more than 10 gallons.

The only specific reference I can find to menopausal women on HRT was to say they are eligible.

The issue with blood plasma exists -- specifically, a higher risk of thrombisis -- but hrt is hardly the only thing that can do that, and it's not like every transsexual woman is getting blood clots and dying. You're living with that blood 24/7/365. I think that most people bleeding out on an ER stretcher would love to have a pint of your blood (provided the type matches and you don't have some nasty disease).

Please find a reference from the NHS or British Red Cross -- I can't find it, but if you can, I'd be very interested. I'm not denying that what you're saying is true. I just want to see some evidence for it so that I can understand the reasons better.

~A

I do not have specific reference.... only the fact that... wait, arent you american?

The reasoning is, there are artifical components in the blood, with  ready supply of donations, it is easier to use clear donors, diabetic medications have been cleared from that list, as having no effect, but transgender hrt has a significaltly higher levels of hormones to those of post menopausal women, similarly to pregant women. Both are excuded for thier blood chemistry, not the fact that m2fs 'are genetic males having sex with males' im sorry that 'bumsex' offended you....

Quote from: Starbuck on February 04, 2009, 03:11:25 AM
I do not have specific reference.... only the fact that... wait, arent you american?

... which is why I'm curious as to what they do over there. This side of the pond, while I found some discussion of the effect on blood properties, there wasn't anything that said it's not acceptable, even at higher pre-surgury levels.

I don't have a clear recollection (which is why I didn't mention it) but I'm pretty sure that my diabetic friend said that there was a regular donor who was transsexual. Either that, or someone said it when I donated with him one time. (I might have discretely brought it up.  ::) How clever of me.) But like I said, it's only a vague recollection, so I don't trust it. But it's part of the reason it piqued my interest.

Okay, I need to go to bed. It's late, even out West.

A Transsexual person may donate... if they dont tell... The nurses dont have record access, and will only see 'miss x or mr y' and if its not answered in the questionare, they dont get access to it. Samples are screened out later if found to be unsatisfactory regardless of donors.

Quote from: Starbuck on February 04, 2009, 06:49:05 AM
A Transsexual person may donate... if they dont tell... The nurses dont have record access, and will only see 'miss x or mr y' and if its not answered in the questionare, they dont get access to it. Samples are screened out later if found to be unsatisfactory regardless of donors.

In the UK.  Here, it's fine.  i also looked up eligibility and there is nothing listed about being trans, hormones, etc.

I'm going to throw in here as this issue is close to my heart too.

I was an apheresis (platelet) donor for about 12 years.  Platelet donation is critical because it cannot be frozen and is usually given to someone withing 5 days of harvesting.  It takes about 2 hours to take the platelets from the body.  A line is drawn from one arm, goes through a centrifuge where the platelets and plasma are separated and then the red blood cells are returned in another line in the other arm.  Basically you cannot move for that period of time.  They usually put a movie on for you.  The harvested platelets are given mostly to leukemia patients and those who have had their bone marrow irradiated in preparation for a marrow transplant.

In other words this is worth more than platinum.  Not enough people donate blood, even fewer donate platelets.  It is always in disparate need.

You also can donate one or two times a month instead of every 90 days since the body replenishes the plasma and platelets in about a 7 - 14 days.

I was a conscientious donor and had received their lifetime donor recognition pin.  When I was about to start HRT I thought nothing of informing them of my new medication regimen.  I figured that women go on HRT all the time, there shouldn't be any issue with me.

I was devastated when I was summarily told that I could no longer donate blood or platelets.

I started calling everyone at LifeSource about their decision.  After repeated inquiries I found out that it was dictated by an FDA guideline that specifically forbids transsexuals from donating because of engaging in dangerous lifestyle activities!

Trust me, my lifestyle was hardly dangerous either before or after my transition.  Unless you consider falling asleep at 8:00 pm in my chair dangerous.

I can only imagine what was going through the heads of the clowns who made up THAT rule!

They say that censors have the most prurient souls.  Otherwise how else could they see penises in clouds and call "Puff the Magic Dragon" a reverse back masking attempt to convince the youth (at that time) to smoke marijuana.

I tend to agree with that point of view now.

-Sandy

Quote from: Starbuck on February 04, 2009, 03:11:25 AM
Both are excuded for thier blood chemistry, not the fact that m2fs 'are genetic males having sex with males' im sorry that 'bumsex' offended you....

i'm a m2f, and i want nothing to do with having sex with a man regardless of my status. somebody has there head up their bum if they think ALL of us want a damned
man. I DON'T AND WILL NEVER NEED A MAN FOR A DAMNED THING!!!! >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(

and i emailed my local biolife to see if i get a response as to whether or not i would be allowed to donate plasma here.

Quote from: The Only Warrior Princess Mickie on February 04, 2009, 12:43:42 PM
I DON'T AND WILL NEVER NEED A MAN FOR A DAMNED THING!!!!

Well, they say that a woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle...

-Sandy(bless you Gloria Steinem!)

keep your own feminist/lesbian rhetoric... but some of us do like men....

Dunno about MtF, but FtM's have the same amount of T as other guys. I donated regularly until I went to Mexico (which bars you for a year).

Dennis

Quote from: Starbuck on February 04, 2009, 06:49:05 AM
A Transsexual person may donate... if they dont tell...

Or they don't know. Otherwise, the information (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_donation) on donor or blood screening is readily available.

Well that was my point... Its spotted at screening as abnormality and rejected, not because of trans.... trans on hrt is just one of the many reasons that makes blood fail
theres nothing wrong with the blood of a gay man... so if he doesnt tell, its ok and wouldnt show up, but why hide your sexuality for a stupid reason?

Quote from: SusanK on February 05, 2009, 09:44:13 AM

Quote from: Starbuck on February 04, 2009, 06:49:05 AM
A Transsexual person may donate... if they dont tell...

Or they don't know. Otherwise, the information (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_donation) on donor or blood screening is readily available.

Great. I read the Wikipedia article you linked and scanned through the references, and still don't have the answer. Okay, I sort of skimmed it, but could you tell me which part of that told you, yes or no, can transsexual women, either on a pre-op or post-op hrt regimen, donate blood in the U.S., Britain, or elsewhere? Please include a quote; I can't find the answer. Maybe I fail at the Internet, but if you win, please share.

Thanks.

~Alyssa

Quote from: Alyssa M. on February 05, 2009, 12:00:15 PM
Great. I read the Wikipedia article you linked and scanned through the references, and still don't have the answer. Okay, I sort of skimmed it, but could you tell me which part of that told you, yes or no, can transsexual women, either on a pre-op or post-op hrt regimen, donate blood in the U.S., Britain, or elsewhere? Please include a quote; I can't find the answer. Maybe I fail at the Internet, but if you win, please share.

Thanks.

~Alyssa

Maybe this will help. It's for the US:

http://chapters.redcross.org/az/bloodregion/blooddonqual.htm (http://chapters.redcross.org/az/bloodregion/blooddonqual.htm)

Quote
General Eligibility Information

In order to give blood, you must:

• currently be in good health.  If you have a cold, flu or a sore throat you must wait until you feel well and are symptom free.
• weigh at least 110 pounds.
• be at least 18 years of age, or have signed American Red Cross parental consent form if you are 17 years in age.
• in general, vitamins, hormones, insulin, birth control pills, and medication for high blood pressure are acceptable.

yeah, they screen you anyway so donate.  they'll sort it out later.

There's probably no right answer to this question anyway, since I'm sure some trans people give blood without telling their status while others are turned away if it's known.  Might depend on the views of the person drawing the blood.  It's all hypocritical anyway; during blood drives at my high school, I was barred from donating since I had sex with men (dangerous lifestyle, rabble rabble), while all the straight kids who had had plenty of partners (many of them overlapping actually) were okay for donating.  If they don't want my blood, they won't get it.  It's a shame, since it hurts lots of people who need it.

Lia

I emailed the local blood donation center, and they responded saying I should ask my doctor. If my doctor thinks it's okay, then they are fine with it. So I'll do that.

~Alyssa

Red Cross begs for my blood often, and about twice a year I find the time to go.  They see a woman.  I had one of the red cross nurses flip my first and middle name, so my card reads Beverly, and not Michael. 
I didn't see where it was any of their business, and didn't bother to tell them. 


Bev

I tried donating plasma because you get 80 bucks a week if you go twice. They asked if I had taken any hormones lately and, stupid me, I said yes. APPARENTLY we are all suseptible to mad cow disease, even if you're a veggie. Mooooooooooo  :P

Wing Walker informed me that she use to donate blood when she was still in the work force, on HRT she was out full time and they were fully aware she was on HRT.

Cindy

Quote from: Alyssa M. on February 05, 2009, 12:00:15 PMGreat. I read the Wikipedia article you linked and scanned through the references, and still don't have the answer. Okay, I sort of skimmed it, but could you tell me which part of that told you, yes or no, can transsexual women, either on a pre-op or post-op hrt regimen, donate blood in the U.S., Britain, or elsewhere? Please include a quote; I can't find the answer. Maybe I fail at the Internet, but if you win, please share.

My point was the absence of the information. They didn't say they prohibit (trans)people, so they accept them. As noted, you can donate and they'll sort it out later, and more than likely your blood will go into the system.

Quote from: cindybc on February 03, 2009, 04:39:38 PM
I don't know that much about blood count and screening and what documentation of what meds you are taking are necessary for one to produce to donate blood, but I can see a blood bank possibly turning you away if you are TS, not necessarily out of ignorance but out of not knowing what to do with a  history of having male birth gender and taking female hormones and androgen blocker.

OK now you may proceed to throw rotten veggies at me, I brought my umbrella this time. ;D

Cindy

Actually, when Red Cross denied me from donating blood, it was just for that reason. It took years for them to access risk for gay men, and only recently can gay men donate while freely admitting to being gay. When I admitted that I was trans, they said they couldn't capture my risk assessment, so they had to deny me.

I can only speak for America, but with our nation being so sue happy, I can easily see that they would rather have as few complications as possible. Even if this means turning away what would otherwise be a perfect doner.

Okay, I asked my doctor. She said that there's no reason not to donate blood. The issues with clots typically arise in the liver -- it's not a blood issue, but a liver issue (she said). Another reason to worry about clots is that estradiol in higher doses can cause artery walls to become rougher, which also induces clot formation, but this is a smaller risk. I think I have that all right, but ask your doctor yourself.

Basically, she said there's no change in the properties of blood from taking estradiol, and no reason not to donate.

Happy bleeding.  :-\

~Alyssa

Since when has actual evidentiery logic featured in trans issues? or for that matter, why gay people cant give blood?

I have given blood and I was aloud to probably because I have never slept with another man. Just women. However they had to look through there "medicine" book to make sure that my T was fine. When they did the Iron test they dropped the blood into both the female and male pots.

I had no problem what so ever.


Jay

I gave blood today and didn't have any issue.Due in part to the fact that I've still got my v-card. I brought up the issue of my taking hormones with them and they looked it up and it was fine.

I couldn;t in past because was diagnosed with a seizure disorder when younger.  Haven't had a seizure in years, wondering if I still can't and if they will allow me on T as well.

OMG starbuck lol *giggles to death* ::)

what?

huh??

Quote from: emoboi on February 22, 2009, 03:23:59 AM
OMG starbuck lol *giggles to death* ::)

That

lol i just find what she said about feminists/lesbians funnny :o

What did i say about feminist lesbians? (I'm starbuck)

Quote from: Rachael on February 05, 2009, 06:35:08 AM
keep your own feminist/lesbian rhetoric... but some of us do like men....

this lol

/me facepalms, that was it? i thought id burned someones bra with them still in it...

HAHA  :P

Quote from: Rachael on February 22, 2009, 09:21:43 PM
/me facepalms, that was it? i thought id burned someones bra with them still in it...

LOL, I'm gonna steal that, Rachael.

Dennis

Quote from: Dennis on February 23, 2009, 08:49:23 AM
LOL, I'm gonna steal that, Rachael.

Dennis

That's right up there with "Somebody dropped a house on her sister and she is pissed!"  :laugh:

-Sandy

I heard of settin her undergotchies on fire but haven't heard to setting her bra on fire with her still in it. I'll just add that one to my list.  ;D

Cindy

I've actually never been asked about trans status when donating blood. They ask about certain medications, but as testosterone wasn't on the list, I felt confident that it wouldn't matter.

The thing that really bugs me is the male-male sexual contact thing. As many GLBT activist groups have pointed out, it's insanely discriminatory. A male who's in a committed, monogamous relationship with one guy isn't allowed to give blood, whereas a straight guy can go around having random unprotected sex and still donate. They can also have unprotected sex with prostitutes, wait a year, and then donate!

Furthermore, sexually active black women are also disproportionately likely to have HIV, but the Red Cross obviously won't bar them from donating because sexual orientation isn't seen as the same thing as race. They're afraid of racially discriminating (and rightly - they obviously shouldn't bar black women from donating) but not of sexual-orientation discriminating.

Now, if they amended the question to "Have you had unprotected sex with another man..." or "Have you had sex with more than such-and-such a number in the last..." or if they factor in if you've tested negative, then I could understand it. But it's nuts as it is, and they're showing no sign of changing it.

I thought long and hard about lying to the Red Cross, and came to the conclusion that it was for the best. People need blood. I'm healthy and can spare a little blood. I am absolutely sure that I do not have HIV or any other STD. So I'm going to keep lying until they change their policies.

The major blood banks in the US do not ask about trans, some do care if you are a man who had sex with a man, but otherwise, none had anything related to hormones or being trans.

 

Its because of your higer risk of sexually transmitted disease... ie. AIDS