The US Food and Drug Administration has finally lifted its ban on gay men donating blood—but a lot of gay men will still be unable to donate. Under the new rules, men can only be cleared to give blood if it’s been a year or more since the last time they had sex with another man.
The new rule puts sex between men in the same category as receiving a blood transfusion, getting a tattoo or piercing at a sketchy shop, or having sex with somebody who has HIV. All require a 12-month wait before you’re eligible to donate blood.
The National Gay Blood Drive calls the policy “still discriminatory.” That said, it’s a major improvement over the previous rule, which was a lifetime deferral for men who have sex with men.
Photo by Matt Hecht / US Air National Guard.
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