PETITION: Allow gay men to donate blood and plasma in Quebec

After recovering from COVID-19, Montrealer Adam Capriolo was rejected from a plasma study by Hema Quebec because he is gay. As per the Health Canada policy, gay men are also unable to donate blood. Capriolo, who has since started a petition, describes his experience here:

View this post on Instagram

I’m fine now and I know this policy has been around forever, but it doesn’t make it ok, especially rn. Share this if u want or if it pisses you off like it did me, so that i don’t have to keep choosing between having a life, and helping save one. Also, seems a little on the nose to reject a gay man during a viral pandemic DOESNT IT ????

A post shared by Adam Capriolo (@adamcapriolo) on May 12, 2020 at 12:24pm PDT

Capriolo has started a petition to challenge the outdated, discriminatory blood (and plasma) donation policies of Hema Quebec and Health Canada. At a time when plasma studies and blood donation are so crucial, discriminating against the LGBTQ community is unconscionable. See and sign the petition here.

See more about blood and plasma donation on the Hema Quebec website, here.

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Cult MTL is a daily web and monthly print publication focusing on Montreal music, arts, culture and city life. Along with interviewing local and visiting artists, promoters and entrepreneurs, we feature analysis and criticism by our editorial staff and crew of columnists and freelancers, compile comprehensive event listings, curate a daily To-Do List and run the annual Best of MTL readers poll.

(Allow gay men to donate blood and plasma in Quebec)