On Oct 3, 2012, the NY Blood Center badgered the leadership of SAGA (Straight and Gay Alliance) to promote a campus blood drive during a club meeting. Prof. David Bimbi, the club mentor, stopped the presentation and asked the NY Blood Center representative to leave because he felt it was inappropriate to promote this event to LGBT students. The NY Blood Center representative filed a complaint against Dr. Bimbi and several people in the LaGuardia Administration have presumptively found Prof. Bimbi guilty of unspecified infractions. The Director of Human Resources attempted to coerce Prof. Bimbi to write a letter of apology or “face an investigation.” Prof. Bimbi refused and is awaiting updates on the process of the investigation.

First off Id like to say that this post has not been approved by the entire Task Force and thus this is an opinion piece and not the stated public policy of the CUNY LGBT Task Force.

AIDS! HIV! how many people have died as a result of this bitter microscopic virus? I have had the good fortune to be in a minor position of leadership in our community and thus, I am very grateful and mindful of my public statements. But friends and family and supporters, I would like to give you an opinion; one that is probably different from yours. I ask that you fairly evaluate it and consider it.

Would you bring condoms to a funeral?   It would probably be in very poor taste, you would probably be removed from the funeral. In my cultural context a stabbing might occur as a grandson of a proud Sicilian immigrant. 

Student LGBTQ organizations provide safe sex education most of the year. Ask anyone where to get condoms and lube and they will direct you to the “Gay Group” I am a bit resentful that we even have to teach straight people to fuck safely. How many times are we responsible for the condom demonstration? how many times must we discuss spermicide?

How did we earn the yolk of providing safe sex education to the world? ask any gay activist and you will learn most of us are HIV certified counselors, peer counselors, anti-violence counselors, and alike.

It feels like this paradigm is set up to tell us all, this is the gay plague and you’re responsible to fix it. My band of brothers and sisters are not responsible for this mess as we have been the victims of this indiscriminate assault on our bodies and very soul. 

Can we have one day to properly mourn the dead? can we have one day to think about the lives of those we lost? can we have peace in our minds and souls? 

No we can’t because of the commercialization of World Aids Day, we must engage in activities that are offensive to our community. Bob died because he did not use a condom. Its his fault, we engage in blaming the victim. 

Please let us have one day. I promise we will return to being good little faggots and dykes and preach on the alter on Nancy Reagan the miracles of safe sex. 

Can we have one day?

-Jamie 

Get on the big ol’ LGBT bus and help us to register voters in PA!!! This will be our last shot to get people registered before the Oct. 9th deadline. We know that LGBTers are strong volunteers and amazing canvassers. Now is the time to jump on board and we need all the help we can get! Slots are going to go fast, so make sure you sign up now!

https://my.barackobama.com/page/event/manage/gsgkhr

Below is five reasonable requests we have made to the New York Blood Center, After several hours of discussion they promised to consider everything in way to move forward with NYC’s LGBT Community.  The New York Blood Center and The Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs (Frank Sanchez) are frauds, and engaged in mere political double speak. The CUNY LGBT Task Force will be perusing our constitutionally protected right to redress of grievances by accessing the courts and calling for direct actions against The New York Blood Center and The City University of New York, for Civil Rights Violations. 

1. A joint petition available at all CUNY Blood Drives directed to the FDA at repealing the current law. This Petition would have agreed upon language from the New York Blood Center and The CUNY LGBT Task Force.
2. Respect for Shared Governance. CUNY has 23 campuses ONLY two campuses have requested to relocate blood drives mere feet beyond the campus boundary. Respecting the battle fought by faculty, and students in these unique settings would speak volumes about New York Blood Center’s commitment to social responsibility as CUNY’s blood collection vendor.
3. Joint Lobbying- if everyone is so committed to changing the hateful and homophobic rule, why can’t we stand arm and arm and announce this coalition of concerned groups committed to changing the current system?
4. A Joint Press Release: Let us move forward and let the world know The New York Blood Center’s commitment and caring to our LGBTQ community.
5. We asked what the Task Force could do for the New York Blood Center to help lessen the stigma and negative perceptions the NYBC has suffered.

The Memo Response From Wade Zamecheck is absolutely tone deaf, after meeting with us for several hours Wade does not speak to anything discussed.

In Closing The New York Blood Center is not a trustworthy partner in its dealings with the LGBTQQI Community, and does not care about it’s social responsibility of operating in New York City.

Stay Tuned for Press Release and Call to Direct Action

New York Blood Center

Memo

To:        USS LGBT Task Force

From:    New York Blood Center

Date:     5/29/2012

New York Blood Center (NYBC) greatly appreciates the outreach made by the USS LGBT Task Force at CUNY and is grateful that we were able have a constructive conversation and express our fundamental agreement on the need to reexamine and revise the FDA deferral policy on men who have sex with men (MSM). 

NYBC recognizes that this is a sensitive issue for the LGBT Community and we will continue to train our staff to be sensitive and observe confidentiality when reviewing eligibility with prospective blood donors. Additionally, we are open to continued dialogue on how we can work together to promote the need for blood on all campuses.  With nearly 500,000 students, there is huge potential to increase the amount of life-saving blood donated on CUNY campuses.

Specific to the reform efforts, NYBC is committed to working with the LGBT community and the CUNY administration on all campuses to facilitate education and advocacy.  We are always available to participate in meetings and fora on campuses, and will continue to send signed petitions with a cover note to the Food and Drug Administration. 

Please find attached a letter we recently received from Patricia H. Harley, Consumer Safety Officer at the FDA, in response to a petition.  In it, she announced the creation of MSM working group that has been “charged with developing a plan of action…including designing and facilitating the necessary studies that will support science-based review of existing and potential future policies.”  Also, we’ve included a Call for Comment notice from the Federal Register that your group may wish to respond to directly.

As always, we are ready and willing to work together to both address this issue on campus and further promote the importance of donating blood at CUNY.  Your passion to address this issue is appreciated and your commitment to continue to promote blood drives on campus is honorable.