For the first time in Columbus history, gay and bisexual men and all LGBTQ+ individuals will be able to donate blood at a local blood drive without restrictions based on their identity instead of their behavior, thanks to changes in federal regulations.
Colgay Pride announced Tuesday the event it is hosting in partnership with the American Red Cross: a blood drive July 9, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., in the Synovus Room at the Columbus Public Library, 3000 Macon Road.
“This isn’t just a blood drive — it’s a celebration of progress,” Colgay Pride’s news release says.
In August 2023, the American Red Cross implemented the updated U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s blood donation guidelines, which eliminate questions based on sexual orientation.
“We look forward to welcoming those who may be newly eligible to give through a more inclusive blood donation process,” the Red Cross said in a news release at the time.
The restrictions on screening donors was an effort to reduce the risk of HIV through the transmission of blood and blood products. In 1983, at the onset of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the FDA instituted a lifetime ban on blood donations from men who have sex with men.
“Over the years, this policy slowly evolved — but only recently have we reached a place where donation eligibility is based on individual risk instead of identity,” Colgay Pride said.
The American Red Cross said in its August 2023 news release, “For many years, the Red Cross has worked to change the deferral policy concerning men who have sex with men (MSM). This work included decades of data collection and assessment on the impact to transfusion safety, ongoing advocacy to eliminate donor questions based on sexual orientation, and our role as a leading contributor in the FDA-funded ADVANCE Study. This work has demonstrated that this new eligibility screening process ensures a safe blood supply, and all patients may continue to trust that the blood they receive is safe.”
Colgay Pride calls the new eligibility requirements “a victory for science, equality and humanity.”
“Many of us are alive today because of the gift of blood transfusions,” Jeremy Hobbs, executive director of Colgay Pride, said in Tuesday’s news release. “Now, we are finally able to give back. To say thank you. To share love, and to save lives.”
Walk-ins at this blood drive will be welcomed, but appointments are available at redcrossblood.org.
“All participants will receive a free pair of sunglasses and a whole lot of love from a grateful community,” Colgay Pride said.
This story comes to GPB through a reporting partnership with Columbus Ledger-Enquirer.
