The End of Discrimination: LGBTQI community members can now become Candidate Blood Donors
Something extraordinary happened earlier this year. A ministerial decision signed by the Minister of Health Thanos Plevris and the Deputy Minister of Health Mina Giga declared that the blood donors' sexual orientation is no longer a criterion for the candidate blood donors, putting Greece amongst the list of the countries with the most progressive blood donation policies. This new policy ushers the end of blood donor discrimination by abolishing sexual orientation as a criterion for candidate blood donors.
Until now, the blood donation questionnaire of the National Blood Donation Center included the provision that a person who had entered into even one homosexual relationship since 1977 could not become a voluntary blood donor.
Many LGBTQI communities have argued that this one statement reinforced stigma and discrimination based on sexual orientation, expression and gender identity. It perpetuated homophobia and transphobic perceptions in the general society instead of being more inclusive.
Finally, the ban on blood donation is officially lifted, and the LGBTQI community is coming a little closer to equality.
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