In a heartbreaking testament to the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in India, Karan, a 25-year-old gay man from New Delhi, found himself in a dilemma when he tried to donate blood to save his mother’s life. Despite being the only compatible blood donor in his family, he was forced to lie about his sexuality to bypass the discriminatory policy that prevents gay and bisexual men, transgender individuals, and female sex workers from donating blood.
India’s blood donation policies, rooted in the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s, have come under intense scrutiny for their exclusionary nature. Despite mandatory HIV screening for all donated blood, these policies persistently bar LGBTQ+ people from contributing to the nation’s blood supply. As a result, LGBTQ+ rights activists and legal experts are calling on the government to follow the lead of countries like the United States, Canada, France, and Germany, which have recently lifted restrictions on LGBTQ+ blood donors.
Critics argue that these policies, driven by fear and discrimination rather than scientific evidence, unjustly generalize entire communities. Santa Khurai, a transgender activist, challenged the constitutionality of the blood donation policy in the Supreme Court in 2021, but the government has defended it on supposed scientific grounds. Khurai awaits the next hearing in the case.
India’s apparent reluctance to reform its policies puts it behind the global trend of scrapping restrictions on LGBTQ+ blood donors. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the dire need for change, as queer individuals struggled to find suitable donors within their community due to the ban. Delhi-based lawyer and bioethicist Rohin Bhatt, identifying as a non-binary queer person, emphasized the illogical nature of the blanket ban, especially when regular testing for sexually transmitted infections is a routine practice.
In a nation already grappling with blood shortages, the policy further isolates LGBTQ+ individuals, many of whom have strained relationships with their families due to their sexuality or gender identity. Activists and public health experts stress that inclusivity should be central to government health programs, with a focus on individualized risk assessment rather than blanket restrictions based on gender identity.
As India’s Supreme Court contemplates the legalization of same-sex marriage, these blood donation rules appear increasingly outdated and discriminatory. If these restrictions persist, they may leave married gay individuals unable to save their partner’s life through blood donation, adding to the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ people in India, even after the decriminalization of homosexuality five years ago.
Critics argue that this ban not only perpetuates discrimination but also deprives LGBTQ+ individuals of the ability to donate blood—a crucial, life-saving resource.