LGBTQ community ‘excited to help save lives’ after removal of blood donation ban

Gay and bisexual men will be able to donate blood to the Red Cross for the first time now that the organization is updating its blood donation policies. The agency is emulating changes recently made by the Food and Drug Administration by removing the life-long ban of donating blood by men who have sex with men.

Jason McCarty is with Capital City Pride and on the board of the Southwest Mississippi chapter of the Red Cross. He says the change in language is a victory for the LGBTQ community.

“I think this is a huge victory for this population, the queer community to be able to know that if they want to donate blood to their family member who is dying, their family member, who was in a car wreck or just a simple blood drive to make sure our blood banks are properly filled here in Central Mississippi and beyond that, we'll be able to participate in that activity.”

The questionnaire given to potential donors now asks all applicants if they've had new or multiple sexual partners in the past three months, meaning some heterosexual people may now be banned from donating blood for the first time. 

McCarty says that the nation's understanding of sexually transmitted diseases has come a long way since gay men were initially banned from donating blood.

“I would say to someone that is cautious, concerned, fear mangled about this. I promise you if it's your child in the hospital that needs this blood, [you’re] not going to care where it came from,” he said. “And so I'm really excited that our population now is going to be able to help save lives and that we'll be part of the solution. And that's what excites me the most.”

The Red Cross contributes roughly 40% of the nation's blood supply.

For more information about how members of the LGBTQ community can donate blood to Red Cross, head to the organization’s LGBTQ+ Donors page.