Gays Can Donate Blood Now
The US Food and Drug Administration has finally lifted the ban on donating blood to gay men, but many gay men are still unable to donate blood. According to the new rules, men can only be allowed to donate blood if a year or more has passed since the last time they had sex with another man.
The new rule places sex between men in the same category as blood transfusions, getting tattoos or body piercings in a snatch store, or sex with an HIV-positive person. All require a 12 month wait before you can donate blood.
National Gay Blood Drive calls this policy “still discriminatory.” However, this is a major improvement over the previous rule, which provided for a lifelong grace period for men who have sex with men.
Photo by Matt Hecht / US Air Force National Guard .
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