It took four years but Brazil has a new ruling when it comes to blood donations.
This is a historic win for the LGBT+ community in Brazil which has experienced tremendous restrictions when it came to blood donations.
The new ruling comes out after that last 8th May, 7 of 11 justices voted for banning the law that did not allow men who’ve had sex with other men within the previous twelve months to donate blood. The voting against this unconstitutional rule – that was imposing restrictions on the simple basis of sexual orientations – happened at the Supreme Federal Cours in Brasilia, as the Guardian reported in this article.
Supreme Court Minister – Edson Fachin – wrote on his vote: “Instead of the state enabling these people to promote good by donating blood, it unduly restricts solidarity based on prejudice and discrimination.”
No more 12 months waiting period for men who had sex with other men, but the normal check-list for blood donations will be followed.
Brazil, amid this coronavirus pandemic, is not the only country to come around those restrictions based on sexual orientation: Hungary, United States and Norther Ireland have reduced their waiting time for gay men from 12 to 3 months.
