Federal regulators last week relaxed rules that have for decades effectively banned men who have sex with men from donating blood in the United States. Advocates from the LGBTQ+ community have praised the move for stepping away from a discriminatory policy rooted in the anti-gay stigma that took root after the AIDS epidemic broke out. And the timing of the change comes as the nation struggles with a shortage of donated blood.
Perry Halkitis, dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health, called the changes a big step forward for equality, even if more work remains.
