Gender Identity and Blood Donation

 

I am a long-time regular blood donor to the American Red Cross. I’ve always found it an easy way to “give back” to my community. Being tall, giving a pint is easy for me to do. I also used to enjoy the post-donation treats, but my revised way of eating has placed those snacks off-limits.

On my most recent visit, I had taken the “RapidPass” online, where one answers 30 or so questions on one’s lifestyle choices and how they may impact what I’m about to donate. I’m thinking with that out of the way, starting my donation should be quick. I sit down with my American Red Cross assistant interview, and he begins;

“How do you wish to identify? He or she?”

“Wait … what?”

“Please let me know which pronoun I should use for the rest of your time here.”

“Your excellency isn’t a pronoun, is it?”

Dead, humorless eyes stare back. He (er, I presume he) simply waits for me to give him an answer.

“I have the same set between my legs I had on my last visit.” Sigh. “He.”

This interaction leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. The tiny minority of people with gender dysphoria are now “wagging the tail” where it matters. That people whom are pathologically obsessed with demanding that reality and language “bend the knee” to their delusional fiction is one thing. That the American Red Cross is willing to indulge and enable their pathology is simply wrong.

Oh, and that blood from people whom call apples bananas is now in the health system. Lord knows how well they’ve wrongly answered the otherwise straightforward questions they’ve answered to satisfy an agenda of their own making.

@Skyler suggests that the ARC doesn’t need my blood. It may be time to find another donation service, or stop altogether. I am persuaded. If so, however, I do wish to continue donating, but to whom?

Thoughts?

Published in Culture
This post was promoted to the Main Feed by a Ricochet Editor at the recommendation of Ricochet members. Like this post? Want to comment? Join Ricochet’s community of conservatives and be part of the conversation. Join Ricochet for Free.

There are 70 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
  1. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Fred Houstan (View Comment):
    Please tell me I’m wrong.

    You’re not wrong.

    • #61
  2. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    Metalheaddoc (View Comment):
    a few identify as Zeta Prime Blue.

    Is that a Klingon type?

    • #62
  3. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    Kozak (View Comment):

    Fred Houstan (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):
    It just occurred to me that the way to stop this is to say, “Well, let’s see!” Then stand up and start to unzip your pants. If that happened enough times, I think this would stop. The best way to fight nonsense is with bigger nonsense.

    On the one hand, it’s crazy enough, it might just work.

    But then again, my optimism fades. The crowd confused by apples and bananas are also confused by their very own groin, as is, apparently, the ARC, and, as is this lady.

    They’re topless, so they shouldn’t have to look down . . .

    • #63
  4. Fred Houstan Member
    Fred Houstan
    @FredHoustan

    Fred Houstan (View Comment):
    I’ve contacted the ARC to let them know my concern. “We’re following FDA guidelines.” I see, show me the published guidelines, and they have:

    Another follow-up. After suggesting that people whom are incapable of correctly identifying their own biological gender puts the whole donation business into great peril, she informed me; “well, we’re sorry to see you go.”

    Alrighty, then. Say goodbye to my frequent contributions, in the hopes of quelling complainers that are highly likely to rarely, and inaccurately, donate again. They made their play, they’re onto other disturbances. Quite the losing bargain, but, hey, not my problem any longer.

    TL;DR: ARC to “Fred,” borrowing from Jimmy Kimmel; “Riddance.”

    • #64
  5. Kozak Member
    Kozak
    @Kozak

    Stad (View Comment):

    Kozak (View Comment):

    Fred Houstan (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):
    It just occurred to me that the way to stop this is to say, “Well, let’s see!” Then stand up and start to unzip your pants. If that happened enough times, I think this would stop. The best way to fight nonsense is with bigger nonsense.

    On the one hand, it’s crazy enough, it might just work.

    But then again, my optimism fades. The crowd confused by apples and bananas are also confused by their very own groin, as is, apparently, the ARC, and, as is this lady.

    They’re topless, so they shouldn’t have to look down . . .

    You’ve never been to the beach have you?

    • #65
  6. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    Kozak (View Comment):

    Stad (View Comment):

    Kozak (View Comment):

    Fred Houstan (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):
    It just occurred to me that the way to stop this is to say, “Well, let’s see!” Then stand up and start to unzip your pants. If that happened enough times, I think this would stop. The best way to fight nonsense is with bigger nonsense.

    On the one hand, it’s crazy enough, it might just work.

    But then again, my optimism fades. The crowd confused by apples and bananas are also confused by their very own groin, as is, apparently, the ARC, and, as is this lady.

    They’re topless, so they shouldn’t have to look down . . .

    You’ve never been to the beach have you?

    I have, and for some reason, old guys hit on me (maybe it’s the moobs).  At least the cops haven’t arrested me for indecent exposure, although several Greenpeace types have tried to push me back into the sea . . .

    • #66
  7. Dorrk Inactive
    Dorrk
    @Dorrk

    Fred Houstan (View Comment):

    Fred Houstan (View Comment):
    I’ve contacted the ARC to let them know my concern. “We’re following FDA guidelines.” I see, show me the published guidelines, and they have:

    Another follow-up. After suggesting that people whom are incapable of correctly identifying their own biological gender puts the whole donation business into great peril, she informed me; “well, we’re sorry to see you go.”

    Does it? What does the mental ability of the donor have to do with their blood? What if another donor believed they had been abducted by aliens, or that the FBI had secret files on them, or that strangers in IKEA wanted to kidnap their children? Does any of this matter to someone who needs a blood transfusion?

    Is the idea that weird ideas are blood-based? Or is it really that gender-confused people might have AIDS or other blood-borne diseases?

    • #67
  8. Fred Houstan Member
    Fred Houstan
    @FredHoustan

    Dorrk (View Comment):

    Does it? What does the mental ability of the donor have to do with their blood? What if another donor believed they had been abducted by aliens, or that the FBI had secret files on them, or that strangers in IKEA wanted to kidnap their children? Does any of this matter to someone who needs a blood transfusion?

    Mental ability: a lot. Are you familiar with the extensive questions one is asked by ARC? They strike me as 98% reasonable in nature. Trips oversees, what diseases have you had, pin-pricks, jail time, and so forth. Nearly each one is a “you’re out of here” if you answer it so. I’ve never liked the extensive questions, but I understood and supported the process. If your language is so carefully framed that words, particularly your own, lose meaning, than these questions and one’s answers, are mere theater.

    Dorrk (View Comment):

    Is the idea that weird ideas are blood-based? Or is it really that gender-confused people might have AIDS or other blood-borne diseases?

    No. I have no idea from where that flight of fancy derives, particularly if you’ve been following along, here.

    • #68
  9. Dorrk Inactive
    Dorrk
    @Dorrk

    Fred Houstan (View Comment):

    Dorrk (View Comment):

    Does it? What does the mental ability of the donor have to do with their blood? What if another donor believed they had been abducted by aliens, or that the FBI had secret files on them, or that strangers in IKEA wanted to kidnap their children? Does any of this matter to someone who needs a blood transfusion?

    Mental ability: a lot. Are you familiar with the extensive questions one is asked by ARC? They strike me as 98% reasonable in nature. Trips oversees, what diseases have you had, pin-pricks, jail time, and so forth. Nearly each one is a “you’re out of here” if you answer it so. I’ve never liked the extensive questions, but I understood and supported the process. If your language is so carefully framed that words, particularly your own, lose meaning, than these questions and one’s answers, are mere theater.

    Dorrk (View Comment):

    Is the idea that weird ideas are blood-based? Or is it really that gender-confused people might have AIDS or other blood-borne diseases?

    No. I have no idea from where that flight of fancy derives, particularly if you’ve been following along, here.

    Once the blood is out of their body, who cares what they think? Their thoughts don’t continue to percolate in the plasma.

    EDIT: I get it: if they know don’t what gender they are, they might not know what “yes” and “no” mean or what the preceding questions mean, or they might have their own definitions that conflict with both yours and the questionnaires.

    • #69
  10. Fred Houstan Member
    Fred Houstan
    @FredHoustan

    Dorrk (View Comment):
    EDIT: I get it: if they know don’t what gender they are, they might not know what “yes” and “no” mean or what the preceding questions mean, or they might have their own definitions that conflict with both yours and the questionnaires.

    I am a fan of extrinsic reality. I’m not so narcissistic as to think I have a unique “super” definition or understanding of the general concepts presented in the ARC questionnaire. I errantly presumed this presumption was mainstream. Being this is the age of hyper-relativism, and “intrinsic reality,” it might help to see how one, “trannie” describes his review of the questions:

    “The question you missed is ‘Have you had sexual contact with another male, even once, since 1977?’”

    I paused for a moment. “I did answer that question. I marked: ‘I am female.’”

    I’d like to point out that the representative did not read the full question that’s listed on the questionnaire: “Male donors: Have you had sexual contact with another male, even once, since 1977? Female donors please check ‘I am female.’”

    The rep said, “It’s a yes or no question.”

    “No, it’s not,” I explained. “There is a third option, which is ‘I am female.’ I marked that.”

    “You’re transgender, right? You were born a man?” she asked.

    That’s a sticky topic. Many trans-identified people don’t like that phrasing. I think Janet Mock put it best when she said, “I was born a baby, not a boy.”

    “As far as any health organization is and should be concerned, I am female,” I responded.

    Andy surely can take the play-mask off for simple questions. Our author, however, is less interested in extrinsic biological reality, than bending the definitions of words, or, he hopes, to his will.

    Apparently, he’s succeeding.

    • #70
Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.