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Original poster

Blood donation record states my gender is female

70 replies

TinaBarrow · 19/11/2019 13:38

I've just received my letter for my blood donation appointment. On the back page is my blood donation record. It gives my name, title, DOB, blood group, donor no and says my gender is female.

But I don't have a gender and never have had one! They don't seem to want to know/care what sex I am.

So I've phoned them up and the very kind call-centre person has completed a complaint for me: I'd definitely encourage others to do the same.

OP posts:
maslinpan · 19/11/2019 19:06

It's not a question of believing in biology or not. Male and female bodies are real and distinct, gender identity is a whole different thing. Blood transfusions and donations are bound by biology, always have been and always should.

WaningGibbous · 19/11/2019 18:56

So biology matters then? Even if you don't believe in it Hmm

Sunkisses · 19/11/2019 18:46

Yes, blood transfusions from previously pregnant women to men can be fatal

www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2017/10/17/blood-transfusions-women-have-pregnant-may-lethal-men-study/amp/

WhentheRabbitsWentWild · 19/11/2019 18:39

Fucking Hell

slipperywhensparticus · 19/11/2019 18:22

@peoplelike Its women who have given birth who donate that can kill a man pregnant women cant donate

HeavyMetalHoneyMonster · 19/11/2019 18:18

ItsAllGoingToBeFine

Bonkers indeed! Bloody hell.

maslinpan · 19/11/2019 18:17

Biology still matters!

PeopleLike · 19/11/2019 18:13

Pregnant women are not allowed to donate blood in the UK.

aliasundercover · 19/11/2019 18:00

As it mentions in the previous thread, they go by self-ID gender, and not sex therefore they are correct to ask your gender.
If they insist upon asking for your gender then the answer would be 'feminine', 'masculine', or most probably 'a mix of both'.
If they would like to know if you are male or female they would have to ask for your sex.

nicknamehelp · 19/11/2019 17:53

perhaps all these individual circumstances arent always listed on a website as it would make it too long for people to read and if you have different circumstances you can contact them and ask how you will be treated. Just as they cant list every medical/medication issue but can answer these questions on an individual basis. Perhaps people are just looking for reason to shout discrimination.

MadnessInMethod · 19/11/2019 17:42

Isn't there some well-known (to the medical profession) thing where if a man receives a blood transfusion from a woman who has been pregnant, it could cause serious illness or death?

Yes.

You can be sure that once a man suffers and/or dies because of this, that form will he changed quicker than you can blink.

And god forbid, if a trans woman dies... well I can't even imagine.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 19/11/2019 17:41

ie if I (female) go to give blood and tell them I am male they will treat me as if I am male, so male haemoglobin test / donation period etc.

formerbabe · 19/11/2019 17:41

I've said it before but I really think that the reason the word 'gender' has been so quickly accepted is because in the UK people are so prudish they hate saying the word 'sex'.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 19/11/2019 17:39

Hope the link works

It does but it doesn't say that transmen will be treated as women, and Transwomen treated as men for the purposes of donation.

nicknamehelp · 19/11/2019 17:37

www.blood.co.uk/news-and-campaigns/the-donor-magazine-summer-2018/why-waiting-16-weeks-is-better-for-women/

Hope the link works not as blonde as I thought I was 😉

nicknamehelp · 19/11/2019 17:35

I dont know how to post a link Im not very technical but if you go on blood donors website its all there.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 19/11/2019 17:26

I'm glad that it has changed, but it's bonkers that that was ever their position.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 19/11/2019 17:25

I think you may find the link you posted out dated with recent updates

Do you have a link?

nicknamehelp · 19/11/2019 17:22

@Itsallgoingtobegine I think you may find the link you posted out dated with recent updates.

Also iron test is same one for all and all need right level to donate its simple biology people born with female anatomy have lower iron levels so cant donate as often. No matter how you identify or not some things you cant change its not a case of offending anyone.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 19/11/2019 17:15

So if I “identify” as male “gender”, they’ll give me a blue iron test, right?

Correct.

Or because I actually AM female, regardless of how I “identify”, I would be given the iron test appropriate for females.

Incorrect (unless it has changed since the foi)

"Donors who identify themselves as male will be assessed
using the male haemoglobin levels and similarly donors identifying as female must
have sufficiently high haemaglobin levels to meet the female levels"

www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/272941/response/676502/attach/html/3/JacobsSamRpy.pdf.html

HeavyMetalHoneyMonster · 19/11/2019 17:10

ItsAllGoingToBeFine

I’m confused.

So if I “identify” as male “gender”, they’ll give me a blue iron test, right?

If I “identify” as female “gender”, I’ll get a pink iron test?

Or because I actually AM female, regardless of how I “identify”, I would be given the iron test appropriate for females. I think.

wherearemypaintbrushes · 19/11/2019 16:19

Nice Smile

Bezalelle · 19/11/2019 16:04

I am a registered MtF/trans woman and have been invited for screening. Can I have a cervical screening test?
As you do not have a cervix you do not need cervical screening.

😑

TreestumpsAndTrampolines · 19/11/2019 15:51

If they don’t need to know your sex, they definitely don’t need to know what “gender” you identify as. What’s the point?

This is a very good point - as under the regs around this, you need to have a good reason to collect and hold information. What possible use is self-identified gender?

CravingCheese · 19/11/2019 15:41

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g

Good post, thanks!