Aravosis nails it

You've heard that the FDA is toying with the idea of allowing gay men to give blood, right? What a novel and, dare I say, fair notion. Well, it seems they haven't got it right yet. In fact, the way the FDA is acting on this is downright offensive. John Aravosis of AmericaBlog nailed it today. (Bolding below is mine.)

The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said this week that it will not ask potential blood donors about their high-risk sexual behavior, even if the questions would help ensure the safety of the nation’s blood supply from HIV/AIDS, because heterosexual donors might find the questioning “offensive.”

This, after decades of the FDA asking male blood donors if they are gay, and then asking the gay ones whether they have had sex with men at any time since the late 1970s.

Indeed. Those poor, beleagured heterosexuals. Why doesn't anyone ever think of them? The FDA must protect those straight people's feelings at all costs. Who knows what would happen if they were asked unwelcome questions? Oh, the fruited plain! How it would suffer.

The whole thing is sickening. Here's more from Aravosis:

So to recap, the FDA believes that a total stranger asking a man if he’s gay — a highly personal, and for some embarrassing, admission that could get you fired from your job, and disowned by your family — is not “offensive.”

Nor is it offensive to ask a gay man when the last time is he screwed another guy.

But if you ask a straight man whether he’s monogamous, how non-monogamous he is (how many different partners he’s had), and whether he use[d] condoms during intercourse, suddenly the FDA becomes a collective prude.

It boggles the mind. Go read the whole post. Good work, John!