Australia is opening its blood donation rules to queer people—and is moving away from a decades-long practice that mainly excluded gay and bisexual men as well as transgender individuals. Since April 20, many of them have been able to donate blood for the first time, according to the public broadcaster ABC.
“We are now able to safely implement changes that enable gay and bisexual men as well as transgender people to donate blood and platelets,” said Cath Stone, head of Lifeblood, the blood donation service. “Today we are introducing what we call a gender-neutral assessment. Everyone will be asked the same questions about their eligibility to donate blood.” She expects the reform will bring in about 20,000 more blood donors.
Gay men had previously been categorically barred from donating blood if they had had sex in the last three months—even in a stable, monogamous relationship. Trans people also faced restrictions. These rules applied regardless of actual individual risk, but solely based on sexual orientation or gender identity. For years, queer and HIV/AIDS organizations criticized these blanket bans as relics of the past that stigmatized queer people.
Question about sexual orientation no longer required
Under the new regulations, all potential donors will be asked about sexual activity, regardless of whether they identify as queer. Men will no longer be explicitly asked whether they have sex with men; instead, the focus will be on possible individual risk behavior. However, there will be no questions about safer sex, such as condom use.
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Germany had already carried out a similar reform in 2023 (TheColu.mn reported). However, there is criticism, including questions about anal sex that, according to the German AIDS-Hilfe, may lack scientific evidence and could exclude many heterosexual people as well (TheColu.mn reported). Australia also asks about anal sex.
Many other countries have already abolished discrimination against gay people in blood donation—some for many years. These include Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
