'This is a victory for all of us who raised our collective voices against the discriminatory ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood. 'LGBTQ Americans can hold their heads up today and know that our voices will always triumph over discrimination,' GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement. In the last week Democratic senators and gay rights advocacy groups have called on the federal government to loosen these restrictions, citing the recent blood shortages caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. We must right this wrong now and without delay.' Continuing to enforce the de facto prohibition on blood donation by sexually active gay and bisexual men does not reflect the best science available.
He continued, 'As the global pandemic wears on, the integrity and safety of the blood supply in this country must be preserved, strengthened, and maintained. But our work is not yet done.'ĭavid said it was 'critical to prioritize science and facts over fear and bias,' referring to the current COVID-19 pandemic. 'While this change by the FDA is a step in the right direction, it still bases itself in bias rather than science,' Alphonso David, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said in a statement.
