On Friday, July 12, one out filmmaker hopes to highlight the discriminatory policy by hosting the first-ever nationwide gay blood drive.
Both Canada and Mexico have repealed their long-standing bans in the past year. Lawmakers, along with medical and advocacy organizations, have encouraged the FDA to lift the ban without success. In fact, if you are a man who has ever had sex with another man in the past three decades, you are permanently banned from giving blood.
Since 1977, the federal Food and Drug Administration has prohibited gay and bisexual men from donating blood.
