Red Cross to Continue Blood Drives at UVM Despite Ban on Blood Donations From Gay Men
BURLINGTON, Vt.
The American Red Cross can continue holding blood drives at the University of Vermont despite a complaint that a ban on sexually active gay men giving blood violates the school’s nondiscrimination policy, campus officials have ruled.
“Donating blood is an individual choice and action — not rising to the definition of protected activity in the case of discrimination or equal protection,” Michael Gower, the university’s vice president for administration, wrote in a Jan. 17 letter detailing the school’s position.
Kathryn Friedman, head of the school’s affirmative action office, had recommended that the university curtail Red Cross blood drives. That came after a complaint by a former student that the school condoned discrimination against gay men by allowing the Red Cross on campus.
The debate parallels a similar move by some campuses, including Vermont Law School, to ban military recruiters because of complaints that the military’s “don’t ask-don’t tell” policy, which requires gay service members to keep their sexual orientation secret, is discriminatory.
Congress passed a law allowing the federal government to deny funding to campuses that ban the recruiters; arguments on whether that law is constitutional were heard by the U.S. Supreme Court in early December.
