Lines wrapped around blocks to donate blood in Orlando, Florida on Sunday, June 12, 2016. (Screenshot)
Jun 12, 2016
Thousands of Florida residents formed long lines around blood centers in Orlando, Florida after an urgent call for donations in the wake of the worst mass shooting in US history.
\u201c"The line to donate blood in #orlando today \nvia George Takei\u201d— Renee PurrpleCatmama (@Renee PurrpleCatmama) 1465747502
Yet many are expressing anger over the federal government's continuing ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men.
\u201cOrlando Hospitals need blood donations to help save gay people. \n\nYet gay people can't give blood to help their own. Because they're gay.\u201d— Bobby Blanchard \ud83c\udf08 (@Bobby Blanchard \ud83c\udf08) 1465744417
The ban began in 1983, yet President Obama's administration has made only very slow changes to the rule, including allowing gay and bisexual men to donate blood if they have been celibate for one year.
The ban is keeping gay men from helping their friends and family who may have been victims of today's attack, which occurred during LGBT Pride Month.
\u201cHuge awful irony: gay men can't give blood after Orlando's gay night club shooting because of the "Gay Blood Ban." https://t.co/AERLN5w30s\u201d— Marc Caputo (@Marc Caputo) 1465742908
Rumors on social media suggested that the FDA rules against gay/bi men making blood donations had been lifted today. In a 12:48 PM Tweet, Orlando's OneBlood denied those rumors were true:
\u201cAll FDA guidelines remain in effect for blood donation. There are false reports circulating that FDA rules were being lifted. Not true.\u201d— OneBlood (@OneBlood) 1465750094
In June 2013, the American Medical Association (AMA) issued a statement calling on the FDA to change the policy, stating that "The lifetime ban on blood donation for men who have sex with men is discriminatory and not based on sound science."
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Thousands of Florida residents formed long lines around blood centers in Orlando, Florida after an urgent call for donations in the wake of the worst mass shooting in US history.
\u201c"The line to donate blood in #orlando today \nvia George Takei\u201d— Renee PurrpleCatmama (@Renee PurrpleCatmama) 1465747502
Yet many are expressing anger over the federal government's continuing ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men.
\u201cOrlando Hospitals need blood donations to help save gay people. \n\nYet gay people can't give blood to help their own. Because they're gay.\u201d— Bobby Blanchard \ud83c\udf08 (@Bobby Blanchard \ud83c\udf08) 1465744417
The ban began in 1983, yet President Obama's administration has made only very slow changes to the rule, including allowing gay and bisexual men to donate blood if they have been celibate for one year.
The ban is keeping gay men from helping their friends and family who may have been victims of today's attack, which occurred during LGBT Pride Month.
\u201cHuge awful irony: gay men can't give blood after Orlando's gay night club shooting because of the "Gay Blood Ban." https://t.co/AERLN5w30s\u201d— Marc Caputo (@Marc Caputo) 1465742908
Rumors on social media suggested that the FDA rules against gay/bi men making blood donations had been lifted today. In a 12:48 PM Tweet, Orlando's OneBlood denied those rumors were true:
\u201cAll FDA guidelines remain in effect for blood donation. There are false reports circulating that FDA rules were being lifted. Not true.\u201d— OneBlood (@OneBlood) 1465750094
In June 2013, the American Medical Association (AMA) issued a statement calling on the FDA to change the policy, stating that "The lifetime ban on blood donation for men who have sex with men is discriminatory and not based on sound science."
Thousands of Florida residents formed long lines around blood centers in Orlando, Florida after an urgent call for donations in the wake of the worst mass shooting in US history.
\u201c"The line to donate blood in #orlando today \nvia George Takei\u201d— Renee PurrpleCatmama (@Renee PurrpleCatmama) 1465747502
Yet many are expressing anger over the federal government's continuing ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men.
\u201cOrlando Hospitals need blood donations to help save gay people. \n\nYet gay people can't give blood to help their own. Because they're gay.\u201d— Bobby Blanchard \ud83c\udf08 (@Bobby Blanchard \ud83c\udf08) 1465744417
The ban began in 1983, yet President Obama's administration has made only very slow changes to the rule, including allowing gay and bisexual men to donate blood if they have been celibate for one year.
The ban is keeping gay men from helping their friends and family who may have been victims of today's attack, which occurred during LGBT Pride Month.
\u201cHuge awful irony: gay men can't give blood after Orlando's gay night club shooting because of the "Gay Blood Ban." https://t.co/AERLN5w30s\u201d— Marc Caputo (@Marc Caputo) 1465742908
Rumors on social media suggested that the FDA rules against gay/bi men making blood donations had been lifted today. In a 12:48 PM Tweet, Orlando's OneBlood denied those rumors were true:
\u201cAll FDA guidelines remain in effect for blood donation. There are false reports circulating that FDA rules were being lifted. Not true.\u201d— OneBlood (@OneBlood) 1465750094
In June 2013, the American Medical Association (AMA) issued a statement calling on the FDA to change the policy, stating that "The lifetime ban on blood donation for men who have sex with men is discriminatory and not based on sound science."
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