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  3. British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant

British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant

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  • CopperC Offline
    CopperC Offline
    Copper
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    Inclusiveness

    Idiots

    British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant

    Potential blood donors in Scotland are asked if they are pregnant as part of a mission to promote inclusiveness, officials said

    A British blood donor said he was turned away after refusing to answer a question asking if he was pregnant, citing that he is a man in his 60s, according to reports.

    Leslie Sinclair, 66, told the Daily Mail he has given 125 pints of blood over the past five decades. But on his last trip to a clinic in Stirling, Scotland, he was told to fill out a form that asked if he was expecting a child or had been pregnant in the past six months.

    After noting that he is a male, the clinic staff said they could not accept his blood unless he provided an answer despite a push by officials to attract new blood donors.

    All potential donors are asked the question to "promote inclusiveness" and because pregnancy is not always visually clear, according to the report. ://www.foxnews.com/world/british-man-blood-question-pregnant

    1 Reply Last reply
    • Catseye3C Offline
      Catseye3C Offline
      Catseye3
      wrote on last edited by Catseye3
      #2

      Yes, the question was entirely unreasonable. He should have stood his ground and said, "Look at me; I'm 66. Do I look like I'm still in my child-bearing years???"

      Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace. – Mike Ditka

      1 Reply Last reply
      • AxtremusA Offline
        AxtremusA Offline
        Axtremus
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        Despite having donated blood many times myself, I have never really thought about it or looked it up, but because of this thread, I looked it up — indeed one who is pregnant is generally barred from donating blood. Apparently there is correlation between being pregnant and having iron deficiency anemia.

        1 Reply Last reply
        • taiwan_girlT Offline
          taiwan_girlT Offline
          taiwan_girl
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          Yes, it is a stupid question. And I am pretty sure they ask it in the US also.

          But, what was the big deal. Why didn't he just answer "no" and move on.

          Not sure that was a very principled stand he was making.

          :woman-shrugging:

          Catseye3C AxtremusA 2 Replies Last reply
          • taiwan_girlT taiwan_girl

            Yes, it is a stupid question. And I am pretty sure they ask it in the US also.

            But, what was the big deal. Why didn't he just answer "no" and move on.

            Not sure that was a very principled stand he was making.

            :woman-shrugging:

            Catseye3C Offline
            Catseye3C Offline
            Catseye3
            wrote on last edited by Catseye3
            #5

            @taiwan_girl said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

            But, what was the big deal. Why didn't he just answer "no" and move on.

            I had the same thought, TG. Life's too short, you know?

            Also, maybe the office intended the form to have universal use so there would be no need for a separate form for men and for women, and that is what the designers meant by inclusivity, and the staff misunderstood.

            "Staff" might have meant one person -- one very politically stupidified person, and she supplied her own interpretation. Or the reporter made it up to create a story.

            Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace. – Mike Ditka

            1 Reply Last reply
            • JollyJ Offline
              JollyJ Offline
              Jolly
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              Sometimes, gross stupidity demands an appropriate response.

              “Cry havoc and let slip the DOGE of war!”

              Those who cheered as J-6 American prisoners were locked in solitary for 18 months without trial, now suddenly fight tooth and nail for foreign terrorists’ "due process". — Buck Sexton

              1 Reply Last reply
              • taiwan_girlT Offline
                taiwan_girlT Offline
                taiwan_girl
                wrote on last edited by
                #7

                I agree but.........

                The person taking the info is probably the lowest person the totem pole. Told to ask this question - if the question is not answered, person cannot donate blood. It stops there.

                In this case, I would ask myself which is more important? Pointing out the stupidity of a question to a person who doesn't really care what your response is or (possibly) helping to save a life? Seems like easy decision to me.

                1 Reply Last reply
                • JollyJ Offline
                  JollyJ Offline
                  Jolly
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #8

                  Sorry, but the bullshit stops somewhere. Apparently, they don't need the blood.

                  “Cry havoc and let slip the DOGE of war!”

                  Those who cheered as J-6 American prisoners were locked in solitary for 18 months without trial, now suddenly fight tooth and nail for foreign terrorists’ "due process". — Buck Sexton

                  Catseye3C 1 Reply Last reply
                  • JollyJ Jolly

                    Sorry, but the bullshit stops somewhere. Apparently, they don't need the blood.

                    Catseye3C Offline
                    Catseye3C Offline
                    Catseye3
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #9

                    @Jolly said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                    Sorry, but the bullshit stops somewhere. Apparently, they don't need the blood.

                    No; they do need the blood, that is why the agency exists. It might not have been bullshit so much as wrongheadedness.

                    The wiser course would be to reprimand the staffer (or fire her to get rid of her stupid ass), get back in touch with the donor and explain what happened, and hope he comes back.

                    Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace. – Mike Ditka

                    JollyJ 1 Reply Last reply
                    • jon-nycJ Offline
                      jon-nycJ Offline
                      jon-nyc
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #10

                      I confess to getting triggered when confronted with an electronic form that has me check “sex assigned at birth”, one of the big pharmacy chains has that.

                      When I see it on a paper form I write in “Nope, determined at meiosis”.

                      "You never know what worse luck your bad luck has saved you from."
                      -Cormac McCarthy

                      Catseye3C 1 Reply Last reply
                      • jon-nycJ jon-nyc

                        I confess to getting triggered when confronted with an electronic form that has me check “sex assigned at birth”, one of the big pharmacy chains has that.

                        When I see it on a paper form I write in “Nope, determined at meiosis”.

                        Catseye3C Offline
                        Catseye3C Offline
                        Catseye3
                        wrote on last edited by Catseye3
                        #11

                        @jon-nyc said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                        When I see it on a paper form I write in “Nope, determined at meiosis”.

                        Stealing. 😝

                        Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace. – Mike Ditka

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        • 89th8 Offline
                          89th8 Offline
                          89th
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #12

                          To be fair, the man in this story is named Leslie.

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          • MikM Away
                            MikM Away
                            Mik
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #13

                            Just check the box and move on. This is the least of things one might worry about in Woketown.

                            But I'd say the same for the blood bank. If he refuses and is obviously (older he) not pregnant, just check the freaking box yourself and get the blood.

                            “I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” ~Winston S. Churchill

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            • taiwan_girlT taiwan_girl

                              Yes, it is a stupid question. And I am pretty sure they ask it in the US also.

                              But, what was the big deal. Why didn't he just answer "no" and move on.

                              Not sure that was a very principled stand he was making.

                              :woman-shrugging:

                              AxtremusA Offline
                              AxtremusA Offline
                              Axtremus
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #14

                              @taiwan_girl said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                              Yes, it is a stupid question. And I am pretty sure they ask it in the US also.

                              Actually, I have never seen or heard that question asked of me by the Red Cross here in the USA. The Red Cross uses an electronic questionnaire here where the question on whether you are a “male” or “female” comes up early, then (I’m guessing) the computer probably just skips over the “are you pregnant” question automatically if you selected “male” for the “male/female” question earlier.

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              • Catseye3C Catseye3

                                @Jolly said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                Sorry, but the bullshit stops somewhere. Apparently, they don't need the blood.

                                No; they do need the blood, that is why the agency exists. It might not have been bullshit so much as wrongheadedness.

                                The wiser course would be to reprimand the staffer (or fire her to get rid of her stupid ass), get back in touch with the donor and explain what happened, and hope he comes back.

                                JollyJ Offline
                                JollyJ Offline
                                Jolly
                                wrote on last edited by Jolly
                                #15

                                @Catseye3 said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                @Jolly said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                Sorry, but the bullshit stops somewhere. Apparently, they don't need the blood.

                                No; they do need the blood, that is why the agency exists. It might not have been bullshit so much as wrongheadedness.

                                The wiser course would be to reprimand the staffer (or fire her to get rid of her stupid ass), get back in touch with the donor and explain what happened, and hope he comes back.

                                Maybe. Maybe not. About needing the blood, that is.

                                If we were full up, we used a cupric sulfate solution that a polycythemic patient couldn't have passed.

                                "Sorry, you're just a little anemic. Go home, eat well for the next two weeks, especially liver and leafy green vegetables. By then, your hemoglobin should be within acceptable limits".

                                If we had plenty of one type, but not enough of another, we'd do a fast slide type off of the fingerstick for the cupric sulfate. Patients don't have a clue about the specific gravity of the solution, so they could pass, but if we didn't need the type, the tech doing the typing would give the phlebe the high sign and the donor would get the anemic lie.

                                “Cry havoc and let slip the DOGE of war!”

                                Those who cheered as J-6 American prisoners were locked in solitary for 18 months without trial, now suddenly fight tooth and nail for foreign terrorists’ "due process". — Buck Sexton

                                AxtremusA 1 Reply Last reply
                                • JollyJ Jolly

                                  @Catseye3 said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                  @Jolly said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                  Sorry, but the bullshit stops somewhere. Apparently, they don't need the blood.

                                  No; they do need the blood, that is why the agency exists. It might not have been bullshit so much as wrongheadedness.

                                  The wiser course would be to reprimand the staffer (or fire her to get rid of her stupid ass), get back in touch with the donor and explain what happened, and hope he comes back.

                                  Maybe. Maybe not. About needing the blood, that is.

                                  If we were full up, we used a cupric sulfate solution that a polycythemic patient couldn't have passed.

                                  "Sorry, you're just a little anemic. Go home, eat well for the next two weeks, especially liver and leafy green vegetables. By then, your hemoglobin should be within acceptable limits".

                                  If we had plenty of one type, but not enough of another, we'd do a fast slide type off of the fingerstick for the cupric sulfate. Patients don't have a clue about the specific gravity of the solution, so they could pass, but if we didn't need the type, the tech doing the typing would give the phlebe the high sign and the donor would get the anemic lie.

                                  AxtremusA Offline
                                  AxtremusA Offline
                                  Axtremus
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #16

                                  @Jolly said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                  @Catseye3 said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                  @Jolly said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                  Sorry, but the bullshit stops somewhere. Apparently, they don't need the blood.

                                  No; they do need the blood, that is why the agency exists. It might not have been bullshit so much as wrongheadedness.

                                  The wiser course would be to reprimand the staffer (or fire her to get rid of her stupid ass), get back in touch with the donor and explain what happened, and hope he comes back.

                                  Maybe. Maybe not. About needing the blood, that is.

                                  If we were full up, we used a cupric sulfate solution that a polycythemic patient couldn't have passed.

                                  "Sorry, you're just a little anemic. Go home, eat well for the next two weeks, especially liver and leafy green vegetables. By then, your hemoglobin should be within acceptable limits".

                                  If we had plenty of one type, but not enough of another, we'd do a fast slide type off of the fingerstick for the cupric sulfate. Patients don't have a clue about the specific gravity of the solution, so they could pass, but if we didn't need the type, the tech doing the typing would give the phlebe the high sign and the donor would get the anemic lie.

                                  Wouldn't it be simpler to just tell the would-be donor the truth? Why scare the well-meaning donor with fake diagnosis of anemia? It just seems rather unethical, and unnecessary at that.

                                  JollyJ 1 Reply Last reply
                                  • AxtremusA Axtremus

                                    @Jolly said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                    @Catseye3 said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                    @Jolly said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                    Sorry, but the bullshit stops somewhere. Apparently, they don't need the blood.

                                    No; they do need the blood, that is why the agency exists. It might not have been bullshit so much as wrongheadedness.

                                    The wiser course would be to reprimand the staffer (or fire her to get rid of her stupid ass), get back in touch with the donor and explain what happened, and hope he comes back.

                                    Maybe. Maybe not. About needing the blood, that is.

                                    If we were full up, we used a cupric sulfate solution that a polycythemic patient couldn't have passed.

                                    "Sorry, you're just a little anemic. Go home, eat well for the next two weeks, especially liver and leafy green vegetables. By then, your hemoglobin should be within acceptable limits".

                                    If we had plenty of one type, but not enough of another, we'd do a fast slide type off of the fingerstick for the cupric sulfate. Patients don't have a clue about the specific gravity of the solution, so they could pass, but if we didn't need the type, the tech doing the typing would give the phlebe the high sign and the donor would get the anemic lie.

                                    Wouldn't it be simpler to just tell the would-be donor the truth? Why scare the well-meaning donor with fake diagnosis of anemia? It just seems rather unethical, and unnecessary at that.

                                    JollyJ Offline
                                    JollyJ Offline
                                    Jolly
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #17

                                    @Axtremus said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                    @Jolly said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                    @Catseye3 said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                    @Jolly said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                    Sorry, but the bullshit stops somewhere. Apparently, they don't need the blood.

                                    No; they do need the blood, that is why the agency exists. It might not have been bullshit so much as wrongheadedness.

                                    The wiser course would be to reprimand the staffer (or fire her to get rid of her stupid ass), get back in touch with the donor and explain what happened, and hope he comes back.

                                    Maybe. Maybe not. About needing the blood, that is.

                                    If we were full up, we used a cupric sulfate solution that a polycythemic patient couldn't have passed.

                                    "Sorry, you're just a little anemic. Go home, eat well for the next two weeks, especially liver and leafy green vegetables. By then, your hemoglobin should be within acceptable limits".

                                    If we had plenty of one type, but not enough of another, we'd do a fast slide type off of the fingerstick for the cupric sulfate. Patients don't have a clue about the specific gravity of the solution, so they could pass, but if we didn't need the type, the tech doing the typing would give the phlebe the high sign and the donor would get the anemic lie.

                                    Wouldn't it be simpler to just tell the would-be donor the truth? Why scare the well-meaning donor with fake diagnosis of anemia? It just seems rather unethical, and unnecessary at that.

                                    Of course it's unethical. And effective. If you tell them you don't need it, chances are you'll never see them again.

                                    “Cry havoc and let slip the DOGE of war!”

                                    Those who cheered as J-6 American prisoners were locked in solitary for 18 months without trial, now suddenly fight tooth and nail for foreign terrorists’ "due process". — Buck Sexton

                                    AxtremusA 1 Reply Last reply
                                    • JollyJ Jolly

                                      @Axtremus said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                      @Jolly said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                      @Catseye3 said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                      @Jolly said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                      Sorry, but the bullshit stops somewhere. Apparently, they don't need the blood.

                                      No; they do need the blood, that is why the agency exists. It might not have been bullshit so much as wrongheadedness.

                                      The wiser course would be to reprimand the staffer (or fire her to get rid of her stupid ass), get back in touch with the donor and explain what happened, and hope he comes back.

                                      Maybe. Maybe not. About needing the blood, that is.

                                      If we were full up, we used a cupric sulfate solution that a polycythemic patient couldn't have passed.

                                      "Sorry, you're just a little anemic. Go home, eat well for the next two weeks, especially liver and leafy green vegetables. By then, your hemoglobin should be within acceptable limits".

                                      If we had plenty of one type, but not enough of another, we'd do a fast slide type off of the fingerstick for the cupric sulfate. Patients don't have a clue about the specific gravity of the solution, so they could pass, but if we didn't need the type, the tech doing the typing would give the phlebe the high sign and the donor would get the anemic lie.

                                      Wouldn't it be simpler to just tell the would-be donor the truth? Why scare the well-meaning donor with fake diagnosis of anemia? It just seems rather unethical, and unnecessary at that.

                                      Of course it's unethical. And effective. If you tell them you don't need it, chances are you'll never see them again.

                                      AxtremusA Offline
                                      AxtremusA Offline
                                      Axtremus
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #18

                                      @Jolly said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                      @Axtremus said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                      Wouldn't it be simpler to just tell the would-be donor the truth? Why scare the well-meaning donor with fake diagnosis of anemia? It just seems rather unethical, and unnecessary at that.

                                      Of course it's unethical. And effective. If you tell them you don't need it, chances are you'll never see them again.

                                      Ah, expedience over ethics, the Ten Commandments and the Hippocratic Oath be damned.

                                      Cannot speak for other blood donors, but I think I would be more offended by the lie and fake diagnosis rather than being honestly told that blood (or blood of particular type) is not needed at this time. Longer term, I'm guessing it would be even more damaging to the sources of donations if would-be donors lose trust in the system's integrity. It takes quite a bit of trust to let a stranger stick a needle into you and leave the needle in for 5~10 minutes. :man-shrugging:

                                      JollyJ 1 Reply Last reply
                                      • AxtremusA Axtremus

                                        @Jolly said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                        @Axtremus said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                        Wouldn't it be simpler to just tell the would-be donor the truth? Why scare the well-meaning donor with fake diagnosis of anemia? It just seems rather unethical, and unnecessary at that.

                                        Of course it's unethical. And effective. If you tell them you don't need it, chances are you'll never see them again.

                                        Ah, expedience over ethics, the Ten Commandments and the Hippocratic Oath be damned.

                                        Cannot speak for other blood donors, but I think I would be more offended by the lie and fake diagnosis rather than being honestly told that blood (or blood of particular type) is not needed at this time. Longer term, I'm guessing it would be even more damaging to the sources of donations if would-be donors lose trust in the system's integrity. It takes quite a bit of trust to let a stranger stick a needle into you and leave the needle in for 5~10 minutes. :man-shrugging:

                                        JollyJ Offline
                                        JollyJ Offline
                                        Jolly
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #19

                                        @Axtremus said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                        @Jolly said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                        @Axtremus said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                        Wouldn't it be simpler to just tell the would-be donor the truth? Why scare the well-meaning donor with fake diagnosis of anemia? It just seems rather unethical, and unnecessary at that.

                                        Of course it's unethical. And effective. If you tell them you don't need it, chances are you'll never see them again.

                                        Ah, expedience over ethics, the Ten Commandments and the Hippocratic Oath be damned.

                                        Cannot speak for other blood donors, but I think I would be more offended by the lie and fake diagnosis rather than being honestly told that blood (or blood of particular type) is not needed at this time. Longer term, I'm guessing it would be even more damaging to the sources of donations if would-be donors lose trust in the system's integrity. It takes quite a bit of trust to let a stranger stick a needle into you and leave the needle in for 5~10 minutes. :man-shrugging:

                                        Personally, I could care less if you're offended.

                                        “Cry havoc and let slip the DOGE of war!”

                                        Those who cheered as J-6 American prisoners were locked in solitary for 18 months without trial, now suddenly fight tooth and nail for foreign terrorists’ "due process". — Buck Sexton

                                        Catseye3C 1 Reply Last reply
                                        • JollyJ Jolly

                                          @Axtremus said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                          @Jolly said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                          @Axtremus said in British man turned away from giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant:

                                          Wouldn't it be simpler to just tell the would-be donor the truth? Why scare the well-meaning donor with fake diagnosis of anemia? It just seems rather unethical, and unnecessary at that.

                                          Of course it's unethical. And effective. If you tell them you don't need it, chances are you'll never see them again.

                                          Ah, expedience over ethics, the Ten Commandments and the Hippocratic Oath be damned.

                                          Cannot speak for other blood donors, but I think I would be more offended by the lie and fake diagnosis rather than being honestly told that blood (or blood of particular type) is not needed at this time. Longer term, I'm guessing it would be even more damaging to the sources of donations if would-be donors lose trust in the system's integrity. It takes quite a bit of trust to let a stranger stick a needle into you and leave the needle in for 5~10 minutes. :man-shrugging:

                                          Personally, I could care less if you're offended.

                                          Catseye3C Offline
                                          Catseye3C Offline
                                          Catseye3
                                          wrote on last edited by Catseye3
                                          #20

                                          @Jolly

                                          Y'all pursue a policy that he disagrees with. Of course you don't like what he said because you don't like anything Ax says. He didn't ask for your opinion. I think he made a perfectly sound point.

                                          Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace. – Mike Ditka

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