Blood Intro

DONATION NOT DISCRIMINATION   

Introduction

"Gay and bisexual men are banned by the National Blood Service (NBS) from donating blood for life. This year we are running a nation wide campaign to change this policy, donation not discrimination.

LGBT people are not all the same. It is unjust to assume that all gay and bisexual men are automatically at a high risk of contracting HIV/AIDs and therefore should be barred from donating blood. But the NBS refuses to recognise this. After everything that LGBT people have come through, and all the gains we have made towards equality over the last few years, it is hard to believe that we should face such discrimination and homophobia from an organisation such as the National Blood Service.

In this pack you will find resources, information and all the arguments you’ll need to run a successful campaign. We hope that you, your society and students from your institution will play an active part in removing this piece of deeply stigmatising policy, and ensure a policy which protects the blood supply in a fair and balanced way."

Yours in Pride,
            
Scott Cuthbertson            Claire Anderson
LGBT Officer (Open Place)  LGBT Officer (Women’s Place)

"The National Blood Service’s blanket ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men who have had oral and anal sex - even with a condom - is unscientific and homophobic. It is based on the presumption that all men who have sex with men are 'high risk' for HIV, regardless of their individual sexual behaviour.

Not every country has a life-time ban on queer blood donors. In recent months, France, Russia and South Africa have lifted their blanket bans on blood donations from men who have had sex with men. They no longer discriminate on the basis of sexuality; having concluded that their blood donor policy should be based on differentiating between risky and non-risky behaviour, regardless of sexual orientation.

The fact is that the vast majority of gay and bisexual men in Britain do not have HIV and will never have HIV. There is no medical or ethical reason why those of us who have long and consistently practised safe sex, and who have since tested HIV-negative, should be banned from giving blood.

Donating blood is a responsibility, not a right. But in a democratic society, people should be free to exercise their responsibilities without discrimination. To arbitrarily exclude a whole section of the population from donating blood, without a good medical rationale, is pure prejudice. It is contributing needlessly to shortfalls in the blood supply, which is to the detriment of the National Health Service."

Peter Tatchell
Outrage!