The Gift of Donating Blood

By John "Jasz" Szlachetka, Feature Author, 10 Thousand Couples

Donating bone marrow, blood, or vital organs -- not an opportunity available to gay men.

As a gay man who is a parent, the last thing I would want to see is my child severely ill, or seriously injured in an accident. Unfortunately, at times there is nothing I can do to prevent it, but then at least I want to be there in case I am needed and possibly able to save my own child. Unfortunately, because I am a gay man, I do not have the chance or the right to save my child, be it through blood donation or by the donation of bone marrow. (Lesbians are not prohibited from donating.)

Let's say one of my children has cancer. As a parent, I may have compatible bone marrow that could save him or her. If my child has had an accident or needs a serious operation, and my blood type matches his or hers, I possibly could save my child by donating my own blood. Another scenario is that my child’s kidneys fail, and I can save him or her by donating one of my own. In all these examples, I as a parent should have the chance to save my child from death, and as a parent, it would be a natural instinct to do so. But my sexual orientation forbids it.