The Russian Ministry of Health announced on May 22 that it has removed the ban on blood donations from homosexuals, UK Gay News reports (ukgaynews.org.uk, 5/23). The ban was put in place in September 2001, labeling homosexuals as a high-risk group for HIV infection. Minister of Health and Social Development Tatyanna Golikova signed the decree to end the ban on April 16.
According to the article, activists from Russian LGBT human rights project GayRussia.ru have fought for removal of the ban since 2006, claiming that the ban contradicted the Russian Constitution and federal legislation.
“We conducted our campaign against the ban for two years and it brought the results,” says activist Nikolai Alekseev. “Russian legislation finally got rid of the last direct discriminatory provision against homosexual people.”
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comments 1 - 5 (of 5 total)
Rick Meriwether, Birmingham, 2008-05-30 17:00:16
The American Red Cross still does not allow anyone identfying as "gay" to donate life-saving blood based on very out-dated thinking . But, someone that identifies as "heterosexual" and may have been with multiple partners can donate. I tell my students, and those I am training to be HIV counseling/testing counselors,"it's not who they are that matters, but what they may have done to put themself at risk for infection." It's time for ARC to re-think their blood donor policy. We need dialogue..
Bronce McDonald, Dayton, 2008-05-28 22:00:39
I'm so glad this has happened. I've had HIV FOR OVER 23 YEARS NOW AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE PEOPLE TREATED EQUAL NO MATTER WHAT THEIR SEXUAL ACTIVITY IS.
Anthony J Raiola, Staten Island, NY, 2008-05-27 19:04:48
It was foolish and disriminating in the first place. Are they so uneducated that they did not realize it is not only the homosexual community that it is infected
It is a shame that it took this long for education to hit that country or to those certain individuals about HIV/AIDS
Ned MacInnis, Halifax, 2008-05-27 13:22:11
Finally someone shows us (glbt people)some respect! Now then CBS... show some leadership here in North America!
Bruce, miami, fl., 2008-05-27 12:47:18
Russia is not finally ahead of America on equal rights? I can not believe this. What happened to America?
"I'm HIV positive and diabetic (as well as have high cholesterol) and some of my meds specify taking them with 'high fat foods' which I have to do twice a day. I've eaten as healthy as possible, but when it comes to high fat foods, I am in a quandary...about what to eat sometimes..."
