The United States matched its blood donation policies with those of Canada and the United Kingdom on Thursday, easing restrictions on gay men as the world continues its fight against the novel coronavirus outbreak.
While it’s a step forward for the U.S., advocates say it doesn’t go far enough — especially during a global health emergency. “Right now, everything should be on the table,” said Helen Kennedy, executive director at LGBTQ2 advocacy organization Egale Canada. “The policy we have now, it’s still based on a stereotype of the perceived notion of promiscuity within the gay male community in particular.
It’s a discriminatory policy already, and in a pandemic, these types of restrictions really are magnified in how ridiculous they are