At a November Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) general meeting member locals passed a motion mandating the CFS to re-launch a campaign that will pressure blood collection agencies to change their policies on the grounds their policies are discriminatory in nature, among these policies is one disqualifying people from giving blood on the basis of sexual orientation rather than unsafe sex.
The motion was brought forward based on the questionnaire possible blood donors are asked to fill out as part of the screening process. One of the questions posed to potential donors is whether they have had sexual relations with a male since 1977. Another asks about their ethnic origin or if they've ever lived in or visited with anyone from one of half a dozen African countries, parts of central and south America as well as Asia.
The campaign is meant, not to discourage people from donating blood, but to bring awareness of the discriminatory policies and practices of Canada Blood Services. The campaign urges students and community members to ask why these policies are in place.
336 Student Centre, 4700 Keele St. York University, Toronto, M3J 1P3 tel:416.736.5324 | fax:416.736.5827 | yfs@yfs.ca