Man oh man

My TG -- aka Last of the Nice Guys -- has for years made it a point to give blood.

I'm not talking about in response to blood drives or pleas from his employer to visit a bloodmobile parked outside.

TG is self-employed.

I mean, he just stops in to give blood whenever he can. He likes the snacks.

He'll even agree to donate some of his platelets if they ask nicely and he's feeling extra generous.

I shudder at the mere thought and go nowhere near those places.

In fact I don't even know where one goes for such a thing.

But the vampires whose job it is to collect said vital fluids love TG.

(Yes I call them vampires. If you don't like that, click on out.)

What's not to love?

Big tall handsome guy takes a break from charming birds out of trees, is a gentleman to the blood-drawing ladies, and extends his long strong tanned arm for the tourniquet and needle.

A few days ago he came home with a big sticker on his shirt. He'd given blood.

But as he and I took a stroll down the street, TG told me that the questions they asked him before he could give blood, almost made him want to never give blood again.

Their inquiries are so personal, so embarrassing, so nearly-pornographic that a monogamous person married to another monogamous person of the opposite gender (and yes; there are more of us who fit that description than the liberal media would have you believe) recoils in horror.

I cannot even repeat some of these questions. You will have to use your imagination, or go give blood.

Stick your arm out and you'll get to answer all of them.

But this time, there was a new question and it happened to be the very first one the intake person asked.

Said individual looked right at my six-foot-four ruggedly masculine husband and he said:

Are you a man or a woman?

? ? ? ? ?

Yes; you read that correctly: Are you a man or a woman?

TG looked at the guy and said, and I quote: "You're kidding me; right?"

Intaker had the grace to appear uncomfortable. "Sorry," he said. "We have to ask."

Even when the person sitting before them is not even remotely gender ambiguous?

Yes. Even then.

It gets worse. When TG related this story to Erica and me, she had a story of her own to tell.

She'd been filling out a form and when it came to the gender question, these were the choices:

____ Male

____ Female

____ Other

? ? ? ? ?

People. Have we gone so far in this country into forcing decent people to recognize every perversion as normal, that we must be asked point-blank what gender we are, even when it is patently obvious?

And are we required to be so collectively depraved that we actually accept this fairy tale that additional genders even exist?

Speaking of points, be they blank or otherwise, I know this next part is slightly beside the point, but I want to point it out anyway:

If at any time in the life remaining to me, a person, any person -- viewing my person from any distance, at any angle, in any light -- has any trouble figuring out that I am a woman? 

Well. In that event the vampires can go ahead and go all Dark Shadows on me because I'll want to die.

Seriously. D-I-E. Just take all my blood. Make it swift. 

The thought of being or seeming or looking or dressing in any way androgynous is absolutely abhorrent to me.

And I assure you I would not be married to a man who resembled a woman even one millionth of one trillionth of one percent any more than I would be married to an actual woman.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. ~Genesis 1:27

Next time you're inclined to be a good Samaritan and want to give blood? Be ready.

You'll be asked to do a gender reveal.

And I hope instead of simply answering as though there is nothing out of the ordinary about that question, you'll look at your questioner like they're an imbecile and say what TG said:

"You're kidding me; right?"

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Happy Friday ~ Happy Weekend

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Comments

[Kevin]

Jenny! It's been too long. Not only have I been MIA on my own blog, I've been MIA on all the blogs I used to read. I always loved your writing.

I haven't given blood in some time, but thanks for the head's up! When they ask me for my gender, I'll just reply: "What are the options?" See what they have to say to that.

[Sue the Hobbit]

Oh dear, the list of questions that I refuse to answer just gets longer all the time!

[irene]

Unbelievable! but it is the way it is. I don't give blood either. I've always felt badly about that, since I know some child might be able to use it. But, ...

[Mari]

I haven't given blood in a while, and I thought the questions were bad the last time I did. That's incredible. Just shows how far our country has fallen.

[Donna M.]

Oh yes, I am quite familiar with the crazy questions they ask at the blood bank. They are enough to make you wince! And yes, I give blood even though I detest needles. I consider it a community service. When I was younger and healthier, I used to donate platelets quite often for the local Children's Hospital. The blood bank liked my particular platelets because of some special antibodies, and there were certain children with cancer who needed it. God bless your sweet man for donating regularly.

[Donna (Texas)]

That's the whole point of those horrible questions... no blood given, no lives saved. Really....think about it. Overpopulation of the planet? What better way to annoy patriots?
I heard this being discussed over 30 years ago while still in nursing.
No surprise here. Just extreme sadness.
Hubby is a HUNK girlie!!
Hughugs

[Jan bertolini]

I'm in agreement with the caller before me. Hubbie is a hunk! And he still has ALL his hair! What a wonderful face to see. You all are good peeps and I could not be happier for you and to know you. Just made my day 😘