Festival and Speakers Forum Will Draw Attention to a
Longstanding Federal Policy Banning Blood Donations
From Men Who Have Sex with Men
Blood Drive Will Allow Eligible Donors to
Donate Blood on Behalf of Someone Who Can't
WEST HOLLYWOOD, August 27, 2014 – The City of West Hollywood will join the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC Foundation) and other community organizations to present a special blood drive event: "Include Inform Inspire — An Inclusive Blood Drive, Festival and Speakers Forum." The event will collect blood from eligible donors, honor those who can't donate for themselves, encourage the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reexamine its permanent deferral on blood donation from men who have sex with men (MSM), and provide expert speakers on the status of the ban.
The event will take place on Saturday, September 20, 2014, at 10 a.m., at West Hollywood Park, located at 647 N. San Vicente Boulevard.
The event will differ from typical blood drives in several important ways:
1) Include: Standard blood drives offer incentives solely to blood donors, but don't allow everyone to participate. This drive will also offer incentives to those who recruit blood donors, allowing everyone to participate. Participants who are unable to donate for themselves will also be honored.
2) Inform: The Inclusive Blood Drive will educate people about the FDA's permanent deferral preventing gay men from donating blood, about HIV/AIDS issues, about decreasing the stigmatization of those affected, and about related transgender issues. The policy to be highlighted at the event was implemented by the FDA in 1983.
3) Inspire: The Inclusive Blood Drive will advocate for a deferral policy based on behavior instead of orientation via an online petition, and will endorse proper guidelines for donations from transgender people, so that they are not turned away based solely on gender identity.
The event will also feature a Speakers Forum and Festival, which will include a panel of expert speakers, educational materials, event supporters, food trucks, and entertainment.
Scheduled speakers include: John J. Duran, West Hollywood City Councilmember; Richard Bloom, California State Assembly Member; Ayako Miyashita, Williams Institute Brian Belt HIV Law & Policy Fellow; and Scott Schoettes, Lambda Legal HIV Policy Director, among others.
The event will also bring together a number of community partners, including The Los Angeles LGBT Center, The Trevor Project, The Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles, Vox Femina, Banned4Life, Love Don't Hate, and The Pop Luck Club. The American Red Cross will serve as the blood collection agency.
Learn More: www.hrc.org/blooddrive
Donate Blood: www.redcrossblood.org using sponsor code HRCLA
Sign the Petition: www.hrc.org/msmbloodban
Volunteer: doodle.com/banq6pz538kvz433
Follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/events/642582639162257
Twitter Hashtag: #HRCBloodDrive
For additional information, please contact Event Producer Rich Meyers atrich@hrcla.net.
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