Gay men now able to donate blood in Utah after decades-long ban

SALT LAKE CITY — Tuesday was a historic day for Utah. Gay men who were once unable to donate blood were able to participate in blood drives for the very first time.

“I’d say it’s monumental,” said blood drive employee Blair James. “This is a chance for people who have been kept from donating blood, now they’re given a chance to come in and contribute.”

FDA restrictions stopping them from donating are now lifted.

ARUP Services hosted drives in Sandy and Salt Lake City celebrating the landmark step. The local organization is one of the first blood donor centers in the nation to adopt the new guidelines.

“There are no strings attached if you’re in a monogamous relationship and you’re not on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), you can donate just like any other donor now,” said Dr. Waseem Anani, medical director.

Anani said around 30% of gay men are eligible now.

Allies showed up to share their support.

“I love that there’s more access and more equality among people that mean a lot to me and they feel really excited to be a part of this now, too,” said Makenzie Fulmer.

The nation’s been battling blood shortages for years now and the feds hope opening the donor pool will help. For example, just last year the FDA lifted its mad cow blood ban which denied donors who were in certain European countries during the eighties and nineties.

“That’s now been removed. We know it’s not transmissible by blood,” said Anani. “So a lot of people who have gone on, for example, trips for the Church now are able to donate which in the past they haven’t.”

ARUP Services is the sole provider of blood for the University of Utah Health and the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Anani said they need at least 100 donors a day to cover basic, everyday necessities. That number doesn’t include injuries or emergencies that especially spike in the summertime.

“Even though we’re excited we have a lot of new donors coming in, it probably won’t even be enough to support just the greater amount that we needed just for today,” he said.

Still, there’s a lot to “B positive” about.

“The queer community is about inclusivity, love, and respect for other people and so it makes sense that they make great donors, right? Because it’s about giving back in a way to save other people,” said Anani.