The American Red Cross is facing a critical blood shortage. Still, there is a year-long ban for gay and bi men who want to donate
The American Red Cross is facing a critical blood shortage. To get people to donate, they’re even giving out Amazon gift cards. However, there is still a ban on gay and bi men donating blood if they’ve had sex with a man in the last year.
Other countries’ policies
While countries such as the United Kingdom have relaxed their deferral process from a year down to three months, the United States has yet to do so. Even countries like Israel have realized a year-long ban on blood donations from gay and bi men is ‘irrelevant’ and ‘unrealistic.’
Gay men in the US can’t donate for a year
In the wake of the Las Vegas shooting last fall, Lance Bass blasted these regulations, which basically require gay and bi men to be celibate for a year before donating.
Social media reactions
LGBTI people on social media are calling out the American Red Cross for their policy on donations from gay and bi men, especially during this critical blood shortage.
Daily reminder that the Red Cross STILL doesn’t accept blood from gay men and are currently facing a blood shortage……..🤐
— owen⚡️ (@xowenm) July 27, 2018
Donated my blood on Thursday since there is rn a big shortage of it. One thing that could fix some of that is that if @PunainenRisti would let gay/bi/pan men and their partners donate. You can do better, red cross. I hope my queer blood safes someone’s life.
— Siiri Viljakka (@siiriviljakka) July 29, 2018
American Red Cross: help! There is an emergency shortage of blood!
Gay people: pic.twitter.com/O52q0cJCiT
— Fabián (@okayfabian) July 27, 2018
Who would win: The red cross guilt tripping me to donate my type O- Blood during an emergency shortage
Or
My gay ass knowing it’s illegal at this point for me to donate— Qazzy (@QazzySmash) July 25, 2018
The @RedCross is experiencing a blood shortage, yet gay men still can’t donate unless they’ve been celibate for a year. Hmmm…
— Scott (@ScottDevenny) July 14, 2018
Hey @RedCross. Gay men can’t donate blood. Help fix that and maybe you’ll have a solution to your blood shortage
— Paul (@BAKERYxFRESH) June 27, 2018
Maybe there wouldn’t be as much of a blood shortage if gay men weren’t still prevented from donating blood on unjustifiable grounds 🙂
— Masc of the Red Death Drop 🏴 (@pleonasthma) June 22, 2018
Don’t complain about “missing letters” when you discriminate against healthy men who want to donate. You create a shortage by treating gay men differently than everyone else, and the public refuses to accept the FDA’s discrimination. Every year fewer people donate blood. FIX IT!
— Freddy Garcia (@fgarciatio) June 12, 2018
Given it’s Pride month, I feel like the @RedCross spot at the start of the show should come with the reminder that despite the purported blood shortage, the Red Cross still refuses blood donations from gay and bisexual men.
— ✨ j. ✨ remy ✨ green ✨ (@j_remy_green) June 17, 2018
