Hey guys,

This may be kind of long but I really want peoples input because it just blows me away and I want to make sure I'm not just over reacting to it all.

My girlfriend and I both lost our jobs, we had savings but thank god but we wanted to make sure we had some kind of income coming in so we decided to donate plasma. We both never done it before but we knew you can make between 50-70 dollars each time at least in Arizona.

For those that aren't sure how the process goes let me advise you right quick

You go into watch a video - fill out paperwork - go to a nurse that ask you about your paperwork and goes over all tats and things like that - then you move onto another nurse that does some blood test on you to make sure you don't have anything then your allowed to donate

I got through the first two things I went into see a nurse and he called me "sir" no big deal I look like a dude and I wanna be a dude so whatever I thought. We get into the room and he keeps referring to me as male, still same thought I had. He asked to see my drivers license and it says "CRYSTAL" he was like wow no this isn't right, are you..... then I'm like a female? I laugh and say yup he asked if I was taking anything at all I answered him correctly and no, I'm still all the way female I have all my female parts and still not on anything yet. He asked well how long have you known? I'm thinking why does it matter the hell dude, and I just simply answer idk a long time. He said he had to talk to his doctor. He came back in and say I cannot donate. I was so blown away and said no dude no we didn't do any testing or anything at all how come I cant donate then he replies because

(((((I some day wish to be male and on my ID it says female but I answer and appear to look male)))))

I told him if its a matter of not believing that's me I can give you more proof, I mean I look like the picture right? and It said it doesn't matter it will cause confusion you cant donate.

I was so upset I wanted to just kind of break down you know? because I knew we needed the money and on top of that, I've never been discriminated against because of something like this. I texted my gf told her I'll be in the car, then I thought "You know no one is going to believe this, I cant even believe this happened myself I need proof!" So I turned my phone on record walked back into the place and asked to speak with the nurse again and asked him to break it down more for me then asked to speak with his supervisor because I never heard of turning someone down due to ((THEM WISHING SOMEDAY TO BE THE OTHER SEX)) The supervisor told me that its just their policy due to studies showing that this kind of person is more likely to be this way or that kind of way!

I was super upset but glad I got it all on recording, well long story short, friends & family were like no way you need to talk to a lawyer well I begin calling around and it seems no one can helped. A had a few shocked people saying I cant believe they can do that I had more saying well you weren't cause any harm to this and a lot of simply no's theres nothing we can do.

Is this something that you think I am stupid for wanting to go after? Should I just try to put it behind me? I just need some people views on it because to me it hurts you know? My family and friends I know are so emotionally in this when it comes to protecting me that's why itll be nice to get different inputs from strangers you know? and to me its not about suing to make money its about I was down on my luck and looking to donate so I can make sure my family and I can make it and them telling me no I cant donate because how you feel inside isn't right. That is what really upsets me the most. I know yall on here cant give me legal advise, all I looking for is thoughts really if I should keep trying. It seem endless

There actually is a trans specific exemption(discrimination) in the FDA guidelines, the red cross never mentions it on normal paperwork though. It might take me a while to find it, since it really doesn't come up that often.
I used to donate, I have never done anything outside the guidelines except transition itself in recent years.
I will probably donate in the future, it's a matter of various guidelines being cleaned up.

Yeah... That's straight up discrimination. No question. It's one thing if they tested your blood and found something you didn't list on the intake form... but for him to deny you based only on a conversation and his own screwed-up ethics... is pure BS.

Just reading this sickens me. I feel for you.

It's disgusting. I read that gay men can't donate blood also (not in the UK, at least), despite all people having to be cleared of HIV. There is LITERALLY no reason besides social stigma. I'm sorry you had to go through that foolishness.

Yeah, In many places gay people arn't allowed to donate blod and such which leave transgenders into a grayzone area of "maybe legal maybe not, but lets not take the risk.

you should be checking if theres a law like this in the area.

This sucks and I feel for you.

Perhaps talking to someone at your local LGBT center and refer you to a location that is friendly or knows the scoop on donations in your location.

I am banned for life from donating blood, It is due to a high liver enzyme. At the time I was drinking very heavy ( I had a high volume of donation prior. I donated at work whenever the minimum time delay between donations was for 10 years). I am a recovering alcoholic (15 years) and it still bothers me that I can not donate. I did not know about the trans* thing too.

I have a lot of things on the minus side for donation:
Sex with guys, passive, in the past
out of the country recently
tattoos
high liver enzyme (been fine for 15 years)
trans*

You guys are always awesome on here
Im happy to see that other people too are sicken by this and about the whole gay males being unable to donate and being unsure if transgender falls in there its stupid. I did some research and there's no laws in my area about that at least that I can find. Plasma is simply used for make meds I'm not sure what makes my plasma different because of how I feel? It just doesn't add up. That's a great idea about contacting my local LGBT center. I'll do that today I also contacted transgender law center of az. They asked me to submit what happened now I just got an e-mail with a case # and a rep is suppose to be contacting me as well. Thanks for all for you guys input it means alot