Running late for the first college lecture of the day, my friend and I were having a conversation in the metro about how gay people have often been deprived of the right to donate blood due to their orientation. Coincidentally, we came across a local municipal blood donation van set up right outside our college, where students have been regularly donating blood. As my friend and I were about to enter college, a volunteering medical professional asked us to do our part and donate blood too. As an attempt to enhance our knowledge, we asked him whether or not gay people can donate blood, to which he blatantly replied ‘no’.
On asking why, he did not have an answer to our query and directed us to go speak to the doctor in charge. He again kept dodging our question by beating around the bush telling us they would be wrapping up soon and we should leave. On insisting for an answer, he finally blurted that gay people aren’t allowed to donate blood because they have multiple partners and heterosexuals don’t.
We were taken aback by the discriminatory statement he just made. This was a preconceived notion he was acting on and as a health professional, he should have the correct facts before making this biased statement. He, however, kept defending himself instead of refuting us.
However, what can be termed as clear case of discrimination, National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) considers Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community as ‘High Risk Group’ and hence says the community is not allowed to donate blood, specifically sex workers, gay and bisexual men and transgenders. This has been revealed following a Right To Information (RTI) query filed by RTI activist Chetan Kothari.
Many developed nations require blood donors to answer questions about their sexual orientation and partners before donating blood. The Maharashtra arm of National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC) recently issued a newly-updated blood donor screening questionnaire to Mumbai-based blood banks. The new questionnaire, designed on the lines of developed nations, will now mandate the blood collectors to ask the male donors about their sexual behaviour and whether they have multiple partners or engaged in male-to-male sexual activity.
Making sure blood is transmitted from a disease free person is of vital importance, however heterosexuals also engage in sexual activities which can cause STDs and engage with sex workers as well which makes them equally prone to being termed as ‘high risk’.
Moreover, health professionals from the municipal roots too, must be aware about the provisions under which a certain phenomenon exists instead of operating on and publicising false notions which not only adds to the discrimination the LGBT+ community faces but also might end up spreading false beliefs and practices.
The need of the hour is to educate the public with correct and reliable information along with raising voices against the discriminatory acts like this.