ASU chancellor questions blood donor ban

At Appalachian State University’s blood drive this week, students collected more than 1,300 pints of blood — and 942 signatures on a petition to allow men who have sex with other men to be able to donate blood.

Per U.S. Food and Drug Administration policy, men who have had sex with men anytime since 1977 cannot donate blood — something the American Red Cross says it wants to change.

One supporter of a policy shift is ASU Chancellor Kenneth Peacock, who added his signature to the university’s “Ban the Ban” petition on Wednesday.

“I strive to make everyone know they are wanted and welcome on the campus of Appalachian,” Peacock said in an email. “Every student is valued, and I wish to create an inclusive environment.”

Suzette Patterson, adviser for ASU’s LGBT Center, said her goal was to make every student feel included at the blood drive despite the ban.

“I wanted to make sure that students in the LGBT community could participate, but because of the (FDA) blood ban, they are not able to participate in a traditional way,” Patterson said.

She said she hopes to deliver the petition to the FDA.

“I think it is an overtly discriminatory policy that has no basis in science or facts, which the FDA should not be in the business of propagating,” she said. “Science and facts are on our side.”

The national position from the American Red Cross states that the FDA should mandate a one-year deferral on donating blood for men who have had sex with other men, rather than the lifetime ban currently in place.

“Maintaining a safe and available blood supply continues to be our highest priority,” the position states.

But the FDA’s website says the ban continues to be relevant because men who have sex with other men are at an increased risk for HIV, hepatitis B and other infections transmitted through blood transfusion.

Still, Terri Phoenix, director of UNC’s LGBTQ Center, said the ban does nothing more than discriminate against the LGBT community.

“The CDC has put forth guidelines for testing blood, and it is unfathomable why this ban continues when there are accurate methods of testing for HIV in place,” Phoenix said.

Though Peacock has a record of publicly expressing support for LGBT issues on campus, UNC-CH Chancellor Carol Folt has not yet made any public comments on certain issues like the blood donation ban. Phoenix said a partnership has not been forged between the LGBTQ Center and Folt since she took office in July.

But Phoenix said the center looks forward to future cooperation with Folt.

“Chancellor Folt has not engaged with me as the director of LGBT-focused issues on campus,” Phoenix said. “But I do expect to forge that relationship in the future.”

Kate Johnson, associate director of community service at ASU, said opposition to the ban at ASU and around the state is evidence of how far LGBT rights have come.

“Chancellor Peacock shows proof of this growth,” she said. “He is not afraid to stand up for what he believes in, even if it is controversial.”

Peacock said he hopes the FDA will consider overturning the ban in the near future.

“If I were in need of blood, I would not be concerned about the source,” he said.

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