Blood drive back on campus after a four year ban.

25th Sep 2009

On Fri­day 25^th Sep­tem­ber, the blood ser­vice arrived on cam­pus for the first time in four years. Beside them were rep­re­sen­ta­tives from the LGBTQ (Les­bian, Gay, Bisex­ual, Trans­gen­der and Queer Soci­ety) who were sup­port­ing the blood ser­vice cam­paign for more blood with a stand called ‘Give blood because we can’t.’

Instead of solely cam­paign­ing for their rights against the motion that excludes them from giv­ing blood, the soci­ety wanted to give a more pos­i­tive mes­sage encour­ag­ing those who can to donate. Matt Ward, offi­cer of the LGBTQ, said: ‘A boy­cott would not give the right mes­sage. Instead we wanted to raise aware­ness about the ban as well as encour­age peo­ple to donate blood at a time where blood is at an all time low.’

Within the sys­tem for donat­ing blood, an indi­vid­ual who has had sex with some­one with HIV or Hepati­tis can give blood after a 12 months period pro­vided that they are not infected. These rules, how­ever, do not apply to the gay and bisex­ual com­mu­nity who have a life­time defer­ral from donat­ing blood. Rob Unwin, a mem­ber of LGBTG, claims; ‘This is a dis­crim­i­na­tory law. HIV is not a gay dis­ease. In fact, it is becom­ing more of a regional and het­ero­sex­ual infec­tion. In recent years, the num­ber of Black Afro– Caribbean’s who have been diag­nosed with HIV has over-taken the num­ber of HIV pos­i­tive men who have sex with men (MSM).’

Matt Ward also com­mented ‘we feel the ban is a child­ish and out-of-date mes­sage and we are try­ing to urge the NHS to review the motion and let the gay com­mu­nity donate.’ As well as encour­ag­ing peo­ple to donate blood on behalf of the gay com­mu­nity, the soci­ety were also ask­ing peo­ple to peti­tion against the pol­icy that excludes them from giv­ing to this mean­ing­ful cause.