BLOOD: Doesn't mix with bias

To Ms. Welch: Normally, I loathe the term “homophobic.” It is used indiscriminately whenever a straight person expresses disagreement with another’s perspective on sexuality. Such a label is inaccurate and inflammatory. But in this case, I rather think it applies. Your remarks, Ms. Welch, smack of bias, fear and ignorance.

First, HIV/AIDS is transmittable in ANY gender and ANY person. Back when it was still a rather new discovery, I lost four friends in a single test. One was a young gay man who contracted it from his partner. One was a young straight woman who contracted it from her partner. One was the wife of our commanding officer. She had had a blood transfusion when the supply was not tested for the virus. She contracted it. She passed it to her husband. Sadly, they are all dead now. There is no question about the seriousness of this terrible disease.

There are tests for HIV, both in the individual and in the supply. At this time, practicing homosexuals are banned from donating because there is always a risk of unsafe blood slipping past the tests. Such a thing would be terrible, no doubt. But to rant as if the homosexual community is the sole source of this disease is uninformed and dangerous. Anyone who has ever been sexually active is at some degree of risk, small or large. Unless both you and your partner were virgins and have remained absolutely monogamous, then there is a risk. Harsh though it may be to say this, you effectively have sex with your partner and everyone he/she has ever slept with — and by extension, everyone that they have ever, and on and on and on. Percentage-wise, there are very few people in this world who can safely say they are at no risk of AIDS.

Years ago, the same hate-filled fear mongering was spewed by Caucasians who were terrified of receiving blood from those of African descent. Such a position was ignorant and biased then, and it remains so today.

Besides that, you will never know the source of your blood donation. Donations are confidential. Your blood could be from anyone. You will never know.

If you don’t trust the American Red Cross and their testing methods, that’s fine. You’re always welcome to have your own blood drawn and stored for future use.

ELIZABETH LINEHAN

Hayden