Equality California Statement on Orlando Shootings and Federal LGBT Blood Ban

Los Angeles - June 18, 2016 – In response to reports nationwide of gay and bisexual men being turned away from donating blood in response to the more than 50 injured in last weekend's shootings at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Equality California Executive Director Rick Zbur issued the following statement:

"It should not have taken the tragedy in Orlando to spotlight the idiocy of FDA regulations that bar all gay and bisexual men from donating blood.  Thousands turned out to help members of our own community, but were told that their blood donations were not needed, thanks to archaic and unnecessary rules that do not reflect modern detection methods of HIV.

While the FDA updated its regulations last year, they still require gay and bisexual men to have been celibate for a year before they can donate blood. Therefore, despite the recent modifications in the regulations, all sexually active gay and bisexual men remain barred from donating blood. An HIV negative gay man who is in a monogamous relationship-- and poses no risk to the blood supply-- is prohibited from donating blood while a promiscuous straight man who has had repeated instances of unprotected sex is not. This is discrimination pure and simple. As part of its "Every Drop Counts" initiative, Equality California is working for federal blood donation policies based on behavioral risk rather than sexual orientation, and on good science rather than fear." 

Equality California is the nation's largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization dedicated to creating a fair and just society. Our mission is to achieve and maintain full and lasting equality, acceptance and social justice for all people in our diverse LGBT communities, inside and outside of California. Our mission includes advancing the health and well-being of LGBT Californians through direct healthcare service advocacy and education. Through electoral, advocacy, education and mobilization programs, we strive to create a broad and diverse alliance of LGBT people, educators, government officials, communities of color and faith, labor, business, and social justice communities to achieve our goals. www.eqca.org