Hi, We're Pride & Plasma
We're here to fight discriminatory policies impacting the queer community in healthcare
We started in May of 2022 with the FDA's Blood Ban that prevents queer men from giving blood. In January of 2023, we'll be expanding our work to the FDA's Tissue Ban on queer men, along with deferment policies impacting trans and nonbinary donors
From September of 1985 until May 11th, 2023 sexually active queer men were barred from giving blood. This policy was enacted as a lifetime ban from 1985 until 2015; a 12-month deferral policy from 2015-2020; and a 3-month deferral policy from 2020 until 5/11/2023. The FDA released new guidances on 5/11/23 that removed the queer blood ban, which also frequently impacted transgender women and non-binary donors who were assigned male at birth. Although the new rules have been released, it may take some time for individual blood centers to update their eligibility and screening procedures.
Also, queer men are banned from donating tissues and organs if they have been sexually active, even once, within the past 5 years. There is no way that this policy can be justified- with 8,000 people dying every day waiting for organ donations.
Additionally, many trans women and non-binary donors are classified as men under the screening process at blood donation facilities. Trans and non-binary donors deserve to give blood without being misgendered or treated differently.
We started in May of 2022 with the FDA's Blood Ban that prevents queer men from giving blood. In January of 2023, we'll be expanding our work to the FDA's Tissue Ban on queer men, along with deferment policies impacting trans and nonbinary donors
From September of 1985 until May 11th, 2023 sexually active queer men were barred from giving blood. This policy was enacted as a lifetime ban from 1985 until 2015; a 12-month deferral policy from 2015-2020; and a 3-month deferral policy from 2020 until 5/11/2023. The FDA released new guidances on 5/11/23 that removed the queer blood ban, which also frequently impacted transgender women and non-binary donors who were assigned male at birth. Although the new rules have been released, it may take some time for individual blood centers to update their eligibility and screening procedures.
Also, queer men are banned from donating tissues and organs if they have been sexually active, even once, within the past 5 years. There is no way that this policy can be justified- with 8,000 people dying every day waiting for organ donations.
Additionally, many trans women and non-binary donors are classified as men under the screening process at blood donation facilities. Trans and non-binary donors deserve to give blood without being misgendered or treated differently.
On 5/11/23 The FDA released final updated guidance for Blood Donation
The new policy removes all gendered text, including the MSM deferment policy Additionally, with trans women and AMAB non-binary donors are able to donate without being subject to policies intended to be applied to queer men
*this is the recommendation, but may take some time for individual blood centers to implement it. Pride and Plasma recommends contacting your local blood center(s) to determine eligibility prior to donation*
The new policy removes all gendered text, including the MSM deferment policy Additionally, with trans women and AMAB non-binary donors are able to donate without being subject to policies intended to be applied to queer men
*this is the recommendation, but may take some time for individual blood centers to implement it. Pride and Plasma recommends contacting your local blood center(s) to determine eligibility prior to donation*
What Does Pride & Plasma Do?
Why now?The FDA had banned queer men from donating blood in some form since 1985. This ban is not backed in science and only exacerbates the current blood shortage.
We can't fight for the right for queer men to donate blood without also working to ensure equality for trans and nonbinary donors. Patients die everyday while waiting for organ donations. Queer men are barred from donating certain organs, even in death, if they've been sexually active in the past 5 years- this is discriminatory just like the blood ban. It needs to end. |
How?Our Standard Process:
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How Can You Help?We need as much help as we can get to spread the word and end the ban. Share our work, tell your friends, sign our petitions. We can't do this alone.
We are always looking to build our team- we are recruiting campus ambassadors from colleges and universities, project leads, and area coordinators. If you've got an idea, we'd love to discuss. Learn more on our "Join Our Team" page |
What is our end goal?Simple- end the bans.
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