For the past three decades, the US government has, by default, assumed that all gay men are disease-ridden. In 1983, at the height of early AIDS panic, the Food and Drug Administration banned blood donations from any man who had had sex with another man—even once—at any time since 1977. That blanket prohibition persisted even as HIV and AIDS testing improved. Even today, gay men are forbidden from donating blood.

That could soon change. An FDA advisory committee is meeting Tuesday to consider overturning the prohibition on blood donations by gay men. But there’s a catch: Under the proposal the FDA is considering, only celibate gay men will be able to donate.

If the FDA approves the shift, men who have had a sexual encounter with another man within the past 12 months would still be barred from giving blood. To the FDA, it wouldn’t matter if a man is in a committed relationship or practices safe sex: Any man who sleeps with another man would be deemed tainted and unfit to donate blood.

These Patrons make the Fowler Show possible ($20+ monthly donation on Patreon.com/FowlerShow) & we couldn’t do it without them!
Truthservers.com

Are you a fan of The Fowler Show? Become a Patron & help support independent media! Learn more here:
http://www.patreon.com/fowlershow

Want to help out but don’t have any money to donate? Donate your account & help us get our stories out on social media. Learn more here:
http://www.donateyouraccount.com/fowlershow

If you liked this clip, share it with your friends and hit that “like” button!

1,500 Subscriber Behind The Scenes Reward Video –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT9x1PvQTBU

Subscribe to our Podcast on iTunes for free!
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-richard-fowler-show/id510713880

@fowlershow
@richardafowler
http://www.facebook.com/richardfowlershow
http://www.fowlershow.com
http://fowlershow.tumblr.com/

STORY: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/12/fda-repeal-ban-allow-celibate-gay-men-donate-blood