Lance Bass slams law that bans gay men from donating blood in wake of Las Vegas shooting

In the wake of the Las Vegas shooting, Lance Bass has slammed a law that stops men from giving blood.

On Sunday (October 1), a gunman opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas. Over 500 people were injured and 59 were tragically left dead, making it the largest mass shooting in modern US history.

Several celebrities have called for tighter gun control following the deadly shooting, and a surge of blood donations have been made to help with treatment of those who were injured

However, despite the urgency for donations, LGBT men have been turned away from giving blood if they’ve recently had sex.

The American Red Cross follows Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines, which means any man who has had sex with another within the last 12 months in the US cannot donate blood.

Many have slammed the law for discriminating against the LGBT community, and now former NSYNC member Lance Bass took to Twitter to share his frustration over the law.

He wrote: “How is it still illegal for gays to donate blood??!! I want to donate and I’m not allowed.”

How is it STILL illegal for gays to donate blood??!! I want to donate and I’m not allowed. 😤

— Lance Bass (@LanceBass) October 3, 2017

However, Bass hasn’t been the only one to call out the ban.

David Stacy of the Human Rights Campaign said: “The policy stigmatizes gay and bisexual men and simply cannot be justified in light of current scientific research and updated blood screening technology.”

“HRC is committed to working towards an eventual outcome that both minimizes risk to the blood supply and treats gay and bisexual men with the respect they deserve.”

YouTuber Elijah Daniel, who wrote a Donald Trump gay erotica novel, took to Twitter to write: “Really wish I could donate my gay blood”.

rly wish i could donate my gay blood

— elijah daniel (@elijahdaniel) October 2, 2017

Writer and LGBT activist Shane Bitney Crone also took to Twitter, writing: “It infuriates me that gay and bisexual men can be turned away from donating blood in Las Vegas because of the US FDA’s discrimination policy.”

It infuriates me that gay & bisexual men can be turned away from donating blood in Las Vegas because of the @US_FDA‘s discriminatory policy.

— Shane Bitney Crone (@ShaneBitney) October 2, 2017

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