Why Are Gay Men Banned From Donatg Blood?</tle><meta name="tle" ntent="Why Are Gay Men Banned From Donatg Blood?" /><meta name="scriptn" ntent="Gay and bisexual men face a time-based ban on givg blood. But fairer practic uld help save over a ln people a year whout the risk of spreadg HIV. " /><meta name="keywords" ntent="isNoteworthy" /><meta property="og:type" ntent="webse" /><meta name="theme-lor" ntent="#000000" /><lk href="/_assets/sign-tokens/menshealth/static/imag/" rel="in" /><meta property="og:se_name" ntent="Men's Health" /><meta name="fb:app_id" ntent="128455567236258" property="fb:app_id" /><meta name="article:publisher" ntent=" property="article:publisher" /><meta name="twter:se" ntent="@MensHealthMag" /><meta name="google-se-verifitn" ntent="KD2AYNrwYjrNCwZthxgElsAAkSgJhWPxx3FkmjgfPt0" /><meta property="og:tle" ntent="The U.S. Has a Blood Shortage. Lettg Gay Men Donate Could Help Solve the Crisis." /><meta property="og:scriptn" ntent="Gay and bisexual men face an absurd and archaic ban. Changg that uld be a life-saver for lns over time. " /><meta name="robots" ntent="max-image-preview:large,max-snippet:-1,max-vio-preview:30" /><lk rel="apple-touch-in" href="/_assets/sign-tokens/menshealth/static/imag/" /><meta property="og:image" ntent="" /><meta property="og:image:width" ntent="1200" /><meta property="og:image:height" ntent="600" /><meta name="thumbnail" ntent="" /><meta name="" ntent="" /><meta name="" ntent=" /><meta name="twter:image" ntent="" /><meta ntent=" property="og:url" /><meta name="to-publish" ntent="never" /><meta property="og:type" ntent="article" /><meta name="twter:rd" ntent="summary_large_image" /><meta name="article:opn" property="article:opn" /><meta ntent="Health" property="article:sectn" /><meta ntent="2022-01-25T21:08:02Z" property="article:modified_time" /><meta ntent="2021-03-29T13:30:00Z" property="article:published_time" /><meta name="sailth.excerpt" ntent="AMERICAN HOSPITALS ARE flood wh sick patients, and not everyone there is battlg Covid-19. Many people need blood transfns— fact, the Amerin Red Cross timat that someone the U.S. requir a blood donatn every two sends. The untry’s blood supply is also nng dangeroly low: About 30 percent of" /><meta name="" ntent="health,Health" /><meta name="" ntent="2021-03-29 13:30:00" /><meta name="sailth.socialtle" ntent="The U.S. Has a Blood Shortage. 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href="/health/a35877353/gay-men-blood-donatn-eligibily/" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Breadcmbs" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="Lettg Gay Men Donate Blood Could Help Solve a Major Health Crisis" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" class="e9l0kn00 css-10e6ywj e1c1bym14"><span emProp="name">Lettg Gay Men Donate Blood Could Help Solve a Major Health Crisis</span></a><meta emProp="posn" ntent="2" /></li></ol></nav><style data-emotn="css sgwfvb">{font-fay:GraphikConnsed,GraphikConnsed-fallback,Helveti,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:normal;grid-lumn:1/-1;marg-bottom:0.9375rem;marg-top:0.9375rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:3rem;le-height:1.1;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:2.625rem;le-height:1.1;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{font-size:3.75rem;le-height:1.1;}}@media(m-width: 73.75rem){{font-size:3.75rem;le-height:1.1;}} em, i{paddg-right:0.3125rem;}</style><h1 class="css-sgwfvb exadjwu10"><span aria-hidn="te" class="css-0 eagam8p0"></span>Lettg Gay Men Donate Blood Could Help Solve a Major Health Crisis<span aria-hidn="te" class="css-0 eagam8p1"></span></h1><style data-emotn="css gpc83z">{lor:#595959;font-fay:GraphikBold,GraphikBold-fallback,Helveti,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:normal;marg-bottom:0.625rem;marg-top:0.625rem;text-align:center;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:1.125rem;le-height:1.2;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:1.125rem;le-height:1.2;}} a{-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn-thickns:0.0625rem;text-ratn-lor:her;text-unrle-offset:0.25rem;lor:her;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out;transn:all 0.3s ease--out;} a:hover{lor:#d2232e;text-ratn-lor:borr-lk-body-hover;}</style><div class="css-gpc83z exadjwu8"><p>The U.S. fac a natnal blood shortage. Overturng a biased and outdated ban is not only the right thg— has enormo life-savg potential. </p></div><style data-emotn="css 61aae5">{lor:#6F6F6F;display:le;font-fay:GraphikBold,GraphikBold-fallback,Helveti,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:bold;letter-spacg:0.03rem;marg-bottom:0.625rem;paddg-right:0.3125rem;text-transform:upperse;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.71434rem;le-height:1.2;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.72308rem;le-height:1.2;}} span{le-height:1.6;}</style><div class="css-61aae5 exadjwu7"><style data-emotn="css l61bhe">{lor:#6F6F6F;display:le;font-fay:GraphikBold,GraphikBold-fallback,Helveti,Arial,Sans-serif;font-style:normal;font-weight:bold;letter-spacg:0.03rem;paddg-right:0.3125rem;text-transform:upperse;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.71434rem;le-height:1.2;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.72308rem;le-height:1.2;}}</style><addrs class="css-l61bhe ehvvd9m2"><style data-emotn="css 1rxc7sd">{lor:#6F6F6F;display:le;font-fay:GraphikBold,GraphikBold-fallback,Helveti,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:bold;letter-spacg:0.03rem;paddg-right:0.3125rem;text-transform:upperse;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.71434rem;le-height:1.2;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.72308rem;le-height:1.2;}}</style><span class="css-1rxc7sd ehvvd9m1">By <style data-emotn="css 1nlla76">{-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn-thickns:0.0625rem;text-ratn-lor:her;text-unrle-offset:0.25rem;lor:her;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out;transn:all 0.3s ease--out;}{lor:#d2232e;text-ratn-lor:borr-lk-body-hover;}</style><a href="/thor/222996/zachary-zane/" class="css-1nlla76 e1c1bym14">Zachary Zane</a></span><style data-emotn="css w0ebia">{display:le-block;text-transform:upperse;marg-left:0.625rem;}</style><time class="css-w0ebia exadjwu6">Published: Mar 29, 2021</time></addrs></div><style data-emotn="css wkpw2c">{display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webk-flex-directn:lumn;-ms-flex-directn:lumn;flex-directn:lumn;-webk-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webk-jtify-ntent:center;jtify-ntent:center;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;}</style><div class="no-prt css-wkpw2c exadjwu15"><style data-emotn="css 1hpjtwr">{display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;posn:relative;marg-top:0.9375rem;}</style><div class="ntent-hear-actns css-1hpjtwr exadjwu14"><style data-emotn="css 1ws6gao">{-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;background-lor:#d2232e;borr:th solid #d2232e;borr-radi:0;lor:#ffffff;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webk-flex-directn:row;-ms-flex-directn:row;flex-directn:row;font-fay:GraphikBold,GraphikBold-fallback,Helveti,Arial,Sans-serif;-webk-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webk-jtify-ntent:center;jtify-ntent:center;marg-bottom:0rem;marg-top:0rem;paddg:0.625rem;-webk-text-ratn:none;text-ratn:none;text-transform:upperse;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out;transn:all 0.3s ease--out;width:to;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.9375rem;le-height:1.3;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.875rem;le-height:1.3;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{font-size:0.9375rem;le-height:1.3;}}{marg-left:1rem;}{outle:0.125rem dotted #000000;outle-offset:0.2rem;}{background-lor:#ffffff;lor:#d2232e;cursor:poter;borr:th solid #595959;} svg{fill:#d2232e;} svg>path{fill:#d2232e;} svg>path{fill:#ffffff;}</style><button data-tooltip-id="article-hear-save" class="ntentSaveButton css-1ws6gao e12nq69g1"><style data-emotn="css 1hnn6">{width:1rem;height:1rem;marg-right:0.625rem;} path{fill:#ffffff;} path{fill:#d2232e;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out 0s;transn:all 0.3s ease--out 0s;}</style><svg xmlns=" fill="none" viewBox="0 0 48 62" class="css-1hnn6 e10k4xbi2"><path fill="#000" fill-le="evenodd" d="M24 46.52 48 61V0H0v61.44l24-14.92ZM5.67 50.9 24 39.5l18.33 11.4V5.7H5.67v45.2Z" clip-le="evenodd"></path></svg>Save Article</button><style data-emotn="css 1w6cje5">{width:160px;text-align:left;lor:#595959;font-fay:Inter,Helveti,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:0.70284rem;le-height:1.1;font-weight:normal;letter-spacg:0.045rem;text-transform:none;}</style></div></div></div></div></hear><style data-emotn="css 149neno">{marg-left:to;marg-right:to;marg-bottom:0.9375rem;max-width:m(lc(20.625rem * 2 - 1rem), lc(100vw - 1rem * 2));} .e152u5os0{marg-left:lc((100vw - m(lc(20.625rem * 2 - 1rem), lc(100vw - 1rem * 2)))/-2);width:100vw;}@media(m-width: 48rem) and (max-width: 61.25rem){ .e152u5os0{marg-left:lc(lc((100vw - m(lc(20.625rem * 2 - 1rem), lc(100vw - 1rem * 2)))/-2) - 3.5rem);}}@media(m-width: 90rem){ .e152u5os0{paddg-left:0.1rem;paddg-right:0.1rem;marg-left:lc(lc((100vw - m(lc(20.625rem * 2 - 1rem), lc(100vw - 1rem * 2)))/-2));}}</style><div class="longform-ntaer ntent-ntaer article-ntaer css-149neno ewisyje2"><style data-emotn="css z6i669">{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-size:1.1875rem;le-height:1.6;paddg-left:0rem;paddg-right:0rem;posn:relative;}@media(m-width: 48rem){{paddg-left:3.5rem;paddg-right:3.5rem;}}@media(m-width: 48rem) and (max-width: 61.25rem){{max-width:45.25rem;marg-left:to;marg-right:to;}}@media(m-width: 61.25rem){{paddg-left:0rem;paddg-right:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 73.75rem) and (max-width: 100rem){{paddg-left:0rem;paddg-right:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{paddg-left:0rem;paddg-right:0rem;}} em{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-style:alic;} strong{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-weight:bold;}{clear:both;ntent:" ";display:block;font-size:0.7rem;le-height:1.5rem;height:0rem;visibily:hidn;}</style><div class="article-body-ntent article-body longform-body css-z6i669 ewisyje7"><style data-emotn="css 18vfmjb">{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-size:1.1875rem;le-height:1.6;} em{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-style:alic;} strong{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-weight:bold;}</style><p data-no-id="0" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong>AMERICAN HOSPITALS ARE</strong> flood wh sick patients, and not everyone there is battlg Covid-19. Many people need blood transfns— fact, the <style data-emotn="css 38knzi">{-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn-thickns:0.125rem;text-ratn-lor:#d2232e;text-unrle-offset:0.25rem;lor:her;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out;transn:all 0.3s ease--out;}{lor:#000;text-ratn-lor:borr-lk-body-hover;background-lor:#F3B032;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out;transn:all 0.3s ease--out;}</style><a href=" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="Amerin Red Cross" class="body-lk css-38knzi et3p2gv0">Amerin Red Cross</a><u> timat that </u>someone the U.S. requir a blood donatn every two sends. The untry’s blood supply is also nng dangeroly low: <a href=" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="About 30 percent of centers across the natn" class="body-lk css-38knzi et3p2gv0">About 30 percent of centers across the natn</a> have a supply that uld n out one day or ls and mt be refully managed. And more than half of all centers have ls than a three-day stockpile for tim of crisis. </p><p data-no-id="1" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">That’s bee the panmic <u>forced the ncellatn of blood driv</u>—three tim as many were nceled 2020 pared wh the year before, acrdg to the Red Cross. Collectns at high schools and lleg dropped by 50 percent over that same perd. If we don’t get more blood donors fast, we’re not gog to be able to treat people wh ser burns, those havg heart surgeri and an transplants, and those battlg ncer. </p><p data-no-id="2" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">But there is one easily implementable solutn to the natnal blood-supply shortage that’s been available for years and uld be a lifele: allowg gay and bisexual men to donate eely. Right now the U.S., gay and bisexual men (often referred to as MSM, or “men who have sex wh men”) are not allowed to give blood if they’ve had sex wh another man the past three months. The same is te for women who’ve had sex wh MSM.</p><style data-emotn="css 9417ib">{--data-embed-display:flex;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;marg-bottom:0.9375rem;}@media(m-width: 20rem){{clear:both;marg-left:to;marg-right:to;width:100%;}}@media(m-width: 30rem){{clear:both;marg-left:to;marg-right:to;width:100%;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{width:50%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;clear:right;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{width:50%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;clear:right;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{width:50%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;clear:right;}}@media(m-width: 73.75rem){{width:45%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:lc(-30% - 1rem);float:right;clear:right;}}@media(m-width: 75rem){{width:45%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:lc(-30% - 1rem);float:right;clear:right;}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{width:45%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:lc(-30% - 1rem);float:right;clear:right;}} a span{right:1rem;} img{width:to;height:85vh;} a{display:-webk-le-box;display:-webk-le-flex;display:-ms-le-flexbox;display:le-flex;posn:var(--posn, relative);} img:not(.ewcw41w1){display:block;width:100%;height:to;-webk-align-self:flex-start;-ms-flex-em-align:flex-start;align-self:flex-start;}</style><div size="medium" data-embed="body-image" data-no-id="3" class="align-right size-medium embed css-9417ib e1xqj1sx4"><style data-emotn="css uwraif">{width:100%;display:-webk-le-box;display:-webk-le-flex;display:-ms-le-flexbox;display:le-flex;-webk-flex-directn:lumn;-ms-flex-directn:lumn;flex-directn:lumn;marg-left:to;marg-right:to;-webk-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webk-jtify-ntent:center;jtify-ntent:center;}</style><div class="css-uwraif e1xqj1sx3"><img alt="men's health mvp sign up" tle="men's health mvp sign up" loadg="lazy" width="320" height="100" dg="async" data-nimg="1" style="lor: transparent; width: 100%; height: to;" siz="100vw" srcSet=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" src="" class="css-0 exi4f7p0" /><style data-emotn="css 78jldq">{paddg-left:0rem;}</style><div class="css-78jldq e1xqj1sx2"><style data-emotn="css fwfucd">{width:0;m-width:100%;paddg-top:0.625rem;font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-size:1rem;le-height:1.4;} em, i{font-fay:her;font-style:alic;} em{font-fay:CharterItalic,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-style:alic;}</style><div class="css-fwfucd e1xqj1sx1"><a href=" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" class="css-38knzi et3p2gv0">Click here</a> to jo for more exclive health and fns ntent.</div><style data-emotn="css 1am3yn9">{paddg-left:0rem;le-height:1;}</style><figptn class="css-1am3yn9 enfs9c50"><style data-emotn="css 11z3u4d">{lor:#6F6F6F;font-fay:GraphikBold,GraphikBold-fallback,Helveti,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:bold;letter-spacg:0.03rem;paddg-right:0.3125rem;text-transform:upperse;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.71434rem;le-height:1.2;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.72308rem;le-height:1.2;}}</style><span class="css-11z3u4d e6iqd2">.</span></figptn></div></div></div><p data-no-id="4" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Allowg MSM equal accs to donate uld crease the total annual blood supply by 2 to 4 percent, addg anywhere om 345,400 to 615,300 pts of blood each year, the <u>Williams Instute at UCLA reported 2014.</u> Rearchers timated would help save the liv of more than a ln people, and experts agree this wouldn’t be puttg anyone at addnal risk of HIV—a fear that many scientists say needs to be put to rt. Ayako Miyasha Ochoa, lead thor of the 2014 report, remas flummoxed as to why, seven years after potg out the obv benef, the change hasn’t happened. “It is my opn that we ntue to have a real problem wh laws and regulatns based on fear rather than science,” she says.</p><p data-no-id="5" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">The ntuatn of a MSM-specific barrier to givg is not only limg the blood supply, ’s unnecsary and “rooted homophobia,” explas <a href=" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="Perry N. Halkis" class="body-lk css-38knzi et3p2gv0">Perry N. Halkis</a>, Ph.D., M.P.H., an of the School of Public Health at Rutgers Universy. So far, the FDA has been reluctant to overhl s policy, but as the need for h blood be ever more urgent, health and social-jtice advot are pumpg new energy to the fight. </p><style data-emotn="css f1dz33">{--data-embed-display:flex;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;clear:both;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;marg-bottom:0.9375rem;marg-left:to;marg-right:to;width:100%;}@media(m-width: 20rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 30rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{width:50%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{width:50%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{width:50%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 73.75rem){{width:50%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 75rem){{width:50%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{width:50%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}} a span{right:1rem;} img{width:to;height:85vh;} a{display:-webk-le-box;display:-webk-le-flex;display:-ms-le-flexbox;display:le-flex;posn:var(--posn, relative);} img:not(.ewcw41w1){display:block;width:100%;height:to;-webk-align-self:flex-start;-ms-flex-em-align:flex-start;align-self:flex-start;}</style><div size="small" data-embed="body-image" data-no-id="6" class="align-center size-small embed css-f1dz33 e1xqj1sx4"><div class="css-uwraif e1xqj1sx3"><img alt="why the ban exists" tle="why the ban exists" loadg="lazy" width="1920" height="597" dg="async" data-nimg="1" style="lor: transparent; width: 100%; height: to;" siz="100vw" srcSet=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" src="" class="css-0 exi4f7p0" /><style data-emotn="css swqnqv">@media(m-width: 20rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 30rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 73.75rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 75rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}</style><div class="css-swqnqv e1xqj1sx2"><figptn class="css-1am3yn9 enfs9c50"><span class="css-11z3u4d e6iqd2">.</span></figptn></div></div></div><p data-no-id="7" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong>BLOOD-DONATION DISCRIMINATION </strong>agast MSM started <a href=" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="1983" class="body-lk css-38knzi et3p2gv0">1983</a> at the height of the AIDS epimic, when the FDA stuted a lifetime ban on any man who’d had sex wh another man sce 1977. “You uld potentially unrstand why this ban me to place nearly four s ago,” says <a href=" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="Marguera Lightfoot" class="body-lk css-38knzi et3p2gv0">Marguera Lightfoot</a>, Ph.D., director of the Center for AIDS Preventn Studi. </p><style data-emotn="css 1mtk2uq">{--data-embed-display:flex;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;marg-bottom:0.9375rem;}@media(m-width: 20rem){{clear:both;marg-left:to;marg-right:to;width:100%;}}@media(m-width: 30rem){{clear:both;marg-left:to;marg-right:to;width:100%;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{width:70%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;clear:right;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{width:70%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;clear:right;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{width:60%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;clear:right;}}@media(m-width: 73.75rem){{width:60%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:lc(-30% - 1rem);float:right;clear:right;}}@media(m-width: 75rem){{width:60%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:lc(-30% - 1rem);float:right;clear:right;}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{width:60%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:lc(-30% - 1rem);float:right;clear:right;}} a span{right:1rem;} img{width:to;height:85vh;} a{display:-webk-le-box;display:-webk-le-flex;display:-ms-le-flexbox;display:le-flex;posn:var(--posn, relative);} img:not(.ewcw41w1){display:block;width:100%;height:to;-webk-align-self:flex-start;-ms-flex-em-align:flex-start;align-self:flex-start;}</style><div size="large" data-embed="body-image" data-no-id="8" class="align-right size-large embed css-1mtk2uq e1xqj1sx4"><div class="css-uwraif e1xqj1sx3"><img alt="we ntue to have a real problem wh laws and regulatns based on fear rather than science" tle="we ntue to have a real problem wh laws and regulatns based on fear rather than science" loadg="lazy" width="2058" height="2793" dg="async" data-nimg="1" style="lor: transparent; width: 100%; height: to;" siz="100vw" srcSet=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" src="" class="css-0 exi4f7p0" /><div class="css-78jldq e1xqj1sx2"><figptn class="css-1am3yn9 enfs9c50"><span class="css-11z3u4d e6iqd2">.</span></figptn></div></div></div><p data-no-id="9" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">At the time, doctors were only begng to exame how exactly HIV was transmted and whom uld affect. “We were still tryg to figure out the transmissn of the vis, and all we knew was that this populatn was disproportnately impacted,” Lightfoot says. Now ’s clear that HIV transmissn isn’t about whether you have sex wh men; ’s about whether you have safe sex, no matter who you are. </p><p data-no-id="10" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">For years, LGBTQ activist groups have enuraged the FDA to remove s rtrictn, notg that the ban isn’t rooted science and perpetuat stigma. Medil experts like Lightfoot agree. “It don’t make sense to have a blanket class of people who n’t donate blood,” she says. “People should be screened for risky sexual behavr, such as not wearg ndoms when havg sex, as opposed to sexual orientatn.”</p><p data-no-id="11" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">In 2015, the<a href=" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="FDA loosened s rtrictn" class="body-lk css-38knzi et3p2gv0">FDA loosened s rtrictn</a>, permtg gay and bisexual men to donate blood as long as they hadn’t had sex wh another man the past year. That wasn’t much of a victory, acrdg to LGBTQ activist anizatn<a href=" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="GLAAD" class="body-lk css-38knzi et3p2gv0">GLAAD</a>, which quickly untered wh a bg vio starrg actor <a href=" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="Alan Cummg" class="body-lk css-38knzi et3p2gv0">Alan Cummg</a> as the head of a fict ernment agency charge of enuragg abstence. (“That’s right—365 days of celibacy!” Cummg exclaimed wh mock excement before sharg a list of hobbi that quickly turned sexually suggtive.) </p><style data-emotn="css gv3b6u">{--data-embed-display:flex;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;marg-bottom:0.9375rem;}@media(m-width: 20rem){{clear:both;marg-left:to;marg-right:to;width:100%;}}@media(m-width: 30rem){{clear:both;marg-left:to;marg-right:to;width:100%;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{width:70%;marg-right:1rem;marg-left:0rem;float:left;clear:left;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{width:70%;marg-right:1rem;marg-left:0rem;float:left;clear:left;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{width:60%;marg-right:1rem;marg-left:0rem;float:left;clear:left;}}@media(m-width: 73.75rem){{width:60%;marg-right:1rem;marg-left:lc(-30% - 1rem);float:left;clear:left;}}@media(m-width: 75rem){{width:60%;marg-right:1rem;marg-left:lc(-30% - 1rem);float:left;clear:left;}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{width:60%;marg-right:1rem;marg-left:lc(-30% - 1rem);float:left;clear:left;}} a span{right:1rem;} img{width:to;height:85vh;} a{display:-webk-le-box;display:-webk-le-flex;display:-ms-le-flexbox;display:le-flex;posn:var(--posn, relative);} img:not(.ewcw41w1){display:block;width:100%;height:to;-webk-align-self:flex-start;-ms-flex-em-align:flex-start;align-self:flex-start;}</style><div size="large" data-embed="body-image" data-no-id="12" class="align-left size-large embed css-gv3b6u e1xqj1sx4"><div class="css-uwraif e1xqj1sx3"><img alt="removg the ban would alleviate the stigma, and uld help save the liv of lns of amerins" tle="removg the ban would alleviate the stigma, and uld help save the liv of lns of amerins" loadg="lazy" width="2130" height="2853" dg="async" data-nimg="1" style="lor: transparent; width: 100%; height: to;" siz="100vw" srcSet=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" src="" class="css-0 exi4f7p0" /><div class="css-78jldq e1xqj1sx2"><figptn class="css-1am3yn9 enfs9c50"><span class="css-11z3u4d e6iqd2">.</span></figptn></div></div></div><p data-no-id="13" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">GLAAD then created a petn enuragg the FDA to screen donors based on their exposure to risk and not on sexual orientatn. But took a natnal emergency for thgs to fally shift a b. InApril 2020, as blood donatns plummeted due to the panmic, the FDA updated s rtrictn to a three-month abstence perd before donatg. </p><p data-no-id="14" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Activist anizatns cludg GLAAD say three months is still discrimatn, and they’ve kept phg the FDA to lift the ban entirely. “The time ferrals are based discrimatn and stigma, not science,” says Mathew Lasky, GLAAD’s director of munitns. “We’re ntug to put prsure on the FDA and are workg wh celebri and elected officials to get the word out.”</p><p data-no-id="15" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">In mid-April, the group shared an open letter, signed by 500 medil profsnals, that stat that the FDA revisn is “a step the right directn, [but] do not go far enough reversg the unscientific ban.” </p><p data-no-id="16" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">An FDA spokperson told <em>Men’s Health</em> an email that the agency is now reexamg this issue, cludg “takg to acunt the current body of scientific rmatn, and we are nsirg the possibily of pursug alternative strategi that mata blood safety.”</p><div size="small" data-embed="body-image" data-no-id="17" class="align-center size-small embed css-f1dz33 e1xqj1sx4"><div class="css-uwraif e1xqj1sx3"><img alt="why the blood supply would rema safe" tle="why the blood supply would rema safe" loadg="lazy" width="1920" height="846" dg="async" data-nimg="1" style="lor: transparent; width: 100%; height: to;" siz="100vw" srcSet=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" src="" class="css-0 exi4f7p0" /><div class="css-swqnqv e1xqj1sx2"><figptn class="css-1am3yn9 enfs9c50"><span class="css-11z3u4d e6iqd2">.</span></figptn></div></div></div><p data-no-id="18" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><strong>PART OF WHAT MAKES</strong> the current ban so archaic is that when was stated, the U.S. didn’t have the sensive tectn methods for HIV donated blood. Now we do. <a href=" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="Every blood donatn is tted" class="body-lk css-38knzi et3p2gv0">Every blood donatn is tted</a> for HIV two different ways (through antibody analysis and NAT, a molecular technique for blood screeng). As a rult, the rate of accintally acquirg HIV through a blood transfn is extremely low—<a href=" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="roughly one 1.5 ln" class="body-lk css-38knzi et3p2gv0">roughly one 1.5 ln</a>.</p><p data-no-id="19" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">There are current tts, specifilly RNA tts, that n tect HIV wh 11 days of exposure. So if the FDA wanted to keep a time-ferral ban, uld utilize the tts and shorten the eligibily rtrictn to men who haven’t had sex wh another man the past 11 days. There is no reason to keep at three months, Halkis says.</p><p data-no-id="20" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Regardls, people who don’t engage behavrs associated wh high risk of HIV exposure shouldn’t need to wa at all to give. For example, if you’re a gay man who wears ndoms durg sex, you lim your risk of ntractg HIV. Same go for gay men who are married or a long-term monogamo relatnship. Addnally, takg PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) daily n crease the likelihood of acquirg HIV through sexual ntact by 99 percent.</p><style data-emotn="css 10ks0yw">{marg-left:to;marg-right:to;width:100%;}@media(m-width: 20rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 30rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 73.75rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 75rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}</style><div data-embed="loop" data-no-id="21" class="css-10ks0yw e1a0jkxd0"><style data-emotn="css 8atqhb">{width:100%;}</style><style data-emotn="css 1e3dj7m">{display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webk-flex-directn:row-reverse;-ms-flex-directn:row-reverse;flex-directn:row-reverse;-webk-align-ems:flex-end;-webk-box-align:flex-end;-ms-flex-align:flex-end;align-ems:flex-end;posn:relative;width:100%;marg-bottom:0.9375rem;width:100%;} {visibily:hidn;opacy:0;-webk-transn:visibily 0s .3s,opacy .3s lear;transn:visibily 0s .3s,opacy .3s lear;}</style><div class="align-center size-medium embed e1a0jkxd1 css-1e3dj7m ejku7p04"><div class="__rp-ntaer css-5mi43p e6l0f0"><img src=" alt="Image no longer available" tle="Image no longer available" width="100%" height="to" dg="async" fetchPrry="high" /></div></div><style data-emotn="css 1qqodx7">{marg-bottom:0.9375rem;word-break:break-word;paddg:0rem;font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-size:1rem;le-height:1.4;} em, i{font-fay:her;font-style:alic;} em{font-fay:CharterItalic,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-style:alic;}</style><div size="medium" class="css-1qqodx7 e1a0jkxd2">Takg PrEP n crease the likelihood of acquirg HIV by 99%. But ers still n’t donate blood immediately.' </div></div><p data-no-id="22" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">In late December, the FDA announced is fundg a pilot study that may prove there’s a more logil way to move forward. Conducted tanm wh the natn’s largt blood centers—the Amerin Red Cross, Valant, and OneBlood—the rearch effort will survey 2,000 gay and bisexual men across the untry between the ag of 18 and 30 who have had sex wh at least one man the past three months. Men will answer qutns about their sexual risk. Then their blood will be drawn and tted for HIV as well as anti-retroviral dgs found PrEP. </p><p data-no-id="23" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Rults om this study are expected late 2021. But if the sexual-risk disclosur n vet ndidat as well as or better than the time-based ban, the FDA may e that rmatn to potentially change s donatn procr for MSM. “The FDA remas mted to nsirg alternativ to time-based ferral by generatg the scientific evince that is tend to support an dividual-risk-asssment-based blood-donor qutnnaire,” the agency nfirmed via email. </p><div size="large" data-embed="body-image" data-no-id="24" class="align-right size-large embed css-1mtk2uq e1xqj1sx4"><div class="css-uwraif e1xqj1sx3"><img alt="untri that have moved away om discrimatory time ferral bans have not seen an crease hiv posive blood" tle="untri that have moved away om discrimatory time ferral bans have not seen an crease hiv posive blood" loadg="lazy" width="2166" height="3045" dg="async" data-nimg="1" style="lor: transparent; width: 100%; height: to;" siz="100vw" srcSet=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" src="" class="css-0 exi4f7p0" /><div class="css-78jldq e1xqj1sx2"><figptn class="css-1am3yn9 enfs9c50"><span class="css-11z3u4d e6iqd2">.</span></figptn></div></div></div><p data-no-id="25" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">The FDA has not said when that policy change might take effect. The earlit might happen would be 2022, says Lightfoot. It might also take longer if the agency cis that addnal nfirmatnal studi are need. But there’s already plenty of precent that this ncept n work: If the ban were to be lifted, the Uned Stat would jo the ranks of untri cludg Italy, Brazil, the UK, Mexi, and Israel, all of whom have adopted a risk-based qutnnaire to screen blood donors stead of lg out all men who’ve had sex wh other men a set perd. </p><p data-no-id="26" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">“The untri that have moved away om blanket, discrimatory time-ferral bans have not seen an crease [HIV-posive] blood,” Lasky says. “We already know that the three-month discrimatory ban do not align wh science, so why are we dog this study aga?”</p><p data-no-id="27" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">The policy change uld have a signifint posive effect on the mental health of gay and bisexual men, too. While CDC data shows that straight men and women make up roughly 24 percent of new HIV s, Halkis says the MSM-specific ban creat “others” out of those exclud. “It mak them feel ls than,” he says. This sort of tegoril humanizatn n<a href=" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="lead to a slew of negative mental-health out" class="body-lk css-38knzi et3p2gv0">lead to a slew of negative mental-health out</a>, cludg prsn, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts and tennci. It also puts gay and bisexual men at higher risk for acquirg HIV over time. </p><p data-no-id="28" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">“Social and stctural factors that e gay men to feel othered e them to engage risky sexual behavr,” Halkis says. So a ban like this isn’t jt harmful to the Amerin public; “’s credibly harmful to the gay muny, both emotnally and physilly.”</p><p data-no-id="29" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Removg the ban would alleviate that stigma and create a new rource that uld help save the liv of lns of Amerins. To make that happen faster, Halkis remends makg your voice heard, no matter your sexual orientatn. “Like wh all social-jtice matters, is imperative that that alli of the LGBTQ+ populatns work to voice their ncerns about the ongog blood ban,” he says. </p><p data-no-id="30" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">The first step is to sign GLAAD’s petn at <a href=" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="" class="body-lk css-38knzi et3p2gv0"></a>. You then n—and should—te those around you, “sce many people, cludg gay and bi men, don’t know that this ban exists,” adds Lasky. Lastly, “engage wh Congrs. Let them know you don’t support discrimatory practic that ban gay and bisexual men om dog their civic duty.”</p><p data-no-id="31" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Givg everyone an equal chance to help one another shouldn’t be a difficult cisn—pecially when uny and healg remas a val need. </p><style data-emotn="css 2ok9l4">{marg-top:1.875rem;borr-top:th solid #595959;}</style><div data-jam-id="thor-b" class="css-2ok9l4 e13rjwo40"></div><style data-emotn="css ciejky">{clear:both;marg-top:1.25rem;}</style><div id="journey-le" class="css-ciejky e1cslvxz0"></div><style data-emotn="css 79elbk">{posn:relative;}</style><div class="css-79elbk eg8z2o90"><div class="css-79elbk e1tp40ll1"><div data-anchor-id="P0-0" class="css-0 e1tp40ll0"></div></div><style data-emotn="css hi6ssp">{display:block;grid-area:article_body;grid-lumn:article_body-start/article_body-end;grid-row:to;jtify-self:center;marg:1.25rem 0 0;}@media prt{{display:none;}}@media(max-width: 30rem){{width:100%;}}@media(max-width: 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gay cant

Though many stat have passed laws allowg gay marriage and the Uned Stat is trendg towards beg more open to and supportive of gay rights, there are ...

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I’M 43 – BUT I’M MA TO FEEL LIKE A DOSR BY YOUNGER GAY MEN

‘In gay years, you’re rather past your sell-by date, aren’t you?’ the person ont of me said, raisg an eyebrow.  * gay cant *

Osr-wng actor Kev Spacey has said he is attracted to mascule men but is not able to tell whether someone is gay jt by lookg at cross-examatn durg his trial on sex abe charg, the Hollywood star nied he was a “sexual bully” and told the jury he did not have a “power wand” to make people want to sleep wh about his sexual preferenc, Mr Spacey said he had prevly had romantic enunters wh men who would not scribe themselv as homosexual. But there is one easily implementable solutn to the natnal blood-supply shortage that’s been available for years and uld be a lifele: allowg gay and bisexual men to donate eely.

KEV SPACEY: I N’T TELL WHETHER MEN ARE GAY JT BY LOOKG AT THEM

Gay and bisexual men face a time-based ban on givg blood. But fairer practic uld help save over a ln people a year whout the risk of spreadg HIV. * gay cant *

S., gay and bisexual men (often referred to as MSM, or “men who have sex wh men”) are not allowed to give blood if they’ve had sex wh another man the past three months.

“It is my opn that we ntue to have a real problem wh laws and regulatns based on fear rather than science, ” she ntuatn of a MSM-specific barrier to givg is not only limg the blood supply, ’s unnecsary and “rooted homophobia, ” explas Perry N. ”In 2015, theFDA loosened s rtrictn, permtg gay and bisexual men to donate blood as long as they hadn’t had sex wh another man the past year.

LETTG GAY MEN DONATE BLOOD COULD HELP SOLVE A MAJOR HEALTH CRISIS

Learn how gay men n overe the hurdl and fd Mr. Right. * gay cant *

Conducted tanm wh the natn’s largt blood centers—the Amerin Red Cross, Valant, and OneBlood—the rearch effort will survey 2, 000 gay and bisexual men across the untry between the ag of 18 and 30 who have had sex wh at least one man the past three months. ”The policy change uld have a signifint posive effect on the mental health of gay and bisexual men, too.

“Social and stctural factors that e gay men to feel othered e them to engage risky sexual behavr, ” Halkis says.

BANNED FOR LIFE: WHY GAY MEN STILL N'T DONATE BLOOD

* gay cant *

So a ban like this isn’t jt harmful to the Amerin public; “’s credibly harmful to the gay muny, both emotnally and physilly. The first step is to sign GLAAD’s petn at You then n—and should—te those around you, “sce many people, cludg gay and bi men, don’t know that this ban exists, ” adds Lasky. Let them know you don’t support discrimatory practic that ban gay and bisexual men om dog their civic duty.

"Chip Somovilla / Getty ImagLike lns of other gay men, Dassey ed to give blood a few tim a year whout a send thought.

GAY AND CAN'T FD A PARTNER?

Learn about feral regulatns related to blood donatn by Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgenr, Queer, Intersex, Asexual and Genr non-nformg (LGBTQ+) dividuals. * gay cant *

" The FDA classifi all gay men the hight-risk blood-donor tegory -- the same tegory as IV dg ers and people who've spent more than five years sce 1980 a untry that has mad w disease. Even wh a clean bill of health, a gay man is nsired more of a threat to the blood supply than a straight man who was treated for chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhea, venereal warts, and genal herp wh the past year.

The FDA, other words, nsirs the sort of man who pays women for sex to be healthier -- and his blood ls of a risk to you -- than a man who last had sex wh another man 30 years 's bee gay men, the FDA argu, are at "creased risk of certa transfn transmissible fectns" like AIDS and hepatis B. And that argument isn't necsarily whout mer: Gay men make up roughly half of the patients livg wh HIV the Uned Stat, spe acuntg for jt four percent of the populatn. Prsured to take actn, the FDA did the only thg possible and banned the group of people most likely to spread the vis: sexually active gay men.

In addn to the Uned Stat, several other untri still have lifetime bans agast gay blood donors place, cludg France, Germany, Swzerland, Norway, and Denmark. More recently, however, other parts of the world have started to rensir the policy's and Spa, for example, no longer specifilly exclu gay men. At the time, all hospals bed need about 80, 000 uns of blood daily, but the Red Cross uld liver only 36, banks have managed to close the gap sce then, but they still ntue to advote on behalf of gay donors.

HOW TO ACCEPT THAT YOU ARE GAY

"The FDA's lifetime blood donor ferral affectg gay men vlat our nondiscrimatn policy, " Kassg wrote a memo to the mp that momentum has only ntued to build.

"I started givg blood llege, and I didn't e out as a gay man until I was 39, " says Bill S., a donor om Philalphia who spoke to Men's Health anonymoly. "More importantly, as an overwhelmg body of evince now suggts, n save liv whout endangerg Emmy Derisbn, the woman who spired the Banned4Life movement, put , "I'll never ask, 'Is that gay blood?

(Genis 1:​27, 28; Levic 18:22; Proverbs 5:​18, 19) The Bible nmns sexual activy that is not between a hband and wife, whether is homosexual or heterosexual nduct. The Bible don’t ment directly on the blogy of homosexual sir, though acknowledg that we are all born wh a tenncy to go agast what God mands.

THGS GAY PEOPLE CAN'T DO

(Romans 7:​21-​25) Rather than foc on the e of homosexual sir, however, the Bible prohibs homosexual acts.

OK, so, you’re gay, and you want to fd a partner and eventually a hband; someone wh whom to share your life. As an openly gay man wh over 30 years of experience as a therapist, I have seen sr of sgle gay men sabotage their efforts to fd a partner, placg obstacl their own path—whout havg the slightt ia as to what they are dog and why.

Fortunately, I have also learned how to intify and name the self-featg and often hidn hurdl—and have disvered that they are beliefs that too many gay men repeat to themselv, often whout even knowg . In my experience, this ternalized belief is the poison that prevents some gay men om buildg a healthy relatnship, and also why many ms up the on they already have. Some of have been bullied as children; physilly, verbally, and emotnally abed at tenr ag by our peers and fay members for beg gay before we even regnized and unrstood our same-sex attractns.

AS FLORIDA'S 'DON'T SAY GAY' LAW TAK EFFECT, SCHOOLS ROLL OUT LGBTQ RTRICTNS

Sadly, the wounds are difficult to heal, and as a rult, n leave gay men wh the sense that we are unlovable and th unworthy of love, affectn, and happs. For sure, so much of the gay male world is way too foced on looks, youth, the gym, partyg, and fast hookups; so searchg for Mr. Nonmonogamy was a polil statement, and gay rights advot saw marriage as nstrictive, patriarchal, heterocentric, flawed (perhaps due to the 50% failure rate) and therefore not worthy of pursu, pecially light of how gay men of the era were still gettg ejected om their jobs, hom, fai and blackmailed and arrted for who they were.

Where ’s legal, same-sex upl are gettg married drov, and some gay weddgs are so theatril and over the top that they n actually be timidatg. Many sgle gay men are happy, valug their tonomy and personal eedom (like the mcled bad boy scribed above). I have worked wh many gay widowers—guys wh good relatnship track rerds, who are anxly seekg a new mate, but are sabotagg themselv the ways scribed above.

I have had several grievg gay men tell me: “If I move on, will be like I am fettg him, ” which is jt not te. Remember, as a gay man, you have survived lots of direct and direct msag that there was somethg wrong wh you, which has left srs. Most people the LGBTQ+ muny know om experience that acceptg your sexualy will lead to your beg a happier, more open this gui, the term gay has been ed to clu all forms of non-heterosexual attractn, whether that be people who are lbian, gay, bisexual, queer, pansexual, or otherwise not straight.

UGANDA'S LGBTQ MUNY IS ' SHOCK' OVER NEW MEASURE, GAY ACTIVIST SAYS

There isn't any need to change yourself - beg gay is jt another way of simply existg, and there is nothg wrong wh at all.

The fact that I am gay is jt another facet of who I am, jt as beg creative, or optimistic, or havg brown ey is. Beg gay do not necsarily make you any ls mascule or feme, and there is no need or prsure to nform to stereotyp that don't feel right to you - bee you are who you are.

There are many, many gay people all sorts of muni, and there are many people there for you when you need support.

AM I GAY?

Fd a group or a hangout where you feel fortable, and where there will be other gay people to talk wh.

HOW DO I KNOW I’M NOT REALLY GAY/STRAIGHT?

The laws the Bible were maly for health purpos - shunng homosexualy is right next to not gettg tattoos, not eatg pork, and not wearg mixed lens, but you n bet your bottom dollar all your neighbors do those thgs. Like everyone else, gay people have dreams and goals and want pannship and love jt like anyone else you know.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GAY CANT

Florida law dubbed 'Don't Say Gay' by crics gets first urt challenge | CNN Polics .

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