Lift the Ban on Gay Blood Donations
Anti-gay hate group Americans for Truth About Homosexuality recently announced their "Keep the Gay Blood Ban" campaign, which urges people to contact their Congress members to "put the safety of Americans -- and a pristine blood supply -- ahead of the demands of the Homosexuality Lobby."
Since 1983, men who have had sex with other men have been prohibited from donating blood. Last year 40 members of Congress called on the Department of Health and Human Services to lift this ban, and last month the department announced they had begun this process.
Current law says that all donated blood must be tested for HIV and other infectious diseases. A 2010 study estimated that if the gay blood donor ban were lifted, America's blood supply would be increased by more than 200,000 pints per year.
We can't afford to reject life-saving blood donations because of a hateful, nonsensical ban. Tell Congress to support lifting the gay blood ban.
Dear Congress Member,
Illinois-based anti-gay, official hate group Americans for Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH) recently announced their campaign "Keep the Gay Blood Ban" which aims to 'protect' the "safety of Americans" and "a pristine blood supply" from gay blood.
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Since 1983 the Food and Drug Administration has banned blood donations from men who have had sex with men even once since 1977 as well as women who have had sex with men who have had sex with men. Last year 40 Congress members called on the Department of Health and Human Services to life this ban, and last month the department announced they had begun an evaluation of this process.
Fear of "contamination" from gay blood is blatantly hateful and unfair, and fear of risking disease from gay blood donations is also unnecessary: Current law requires that all donated blood is tested for HIV and other infectious diseases.
A 2010 study by the Williams Institute estimates that if the gay blood donor ban were lifted, America's blood supply would be increased by more than 200,000 pints per year,
We can't afford to risk our health and safety and lose life-saving blood donations because of a hateful, nonsensical ban. I urge you to ignore the requests of AFTAH and support lifting the gay blood ban.
