Earlier this month, FreedomToDonate, which has been at the forefront of a campaign to challenge stigma around gay blood donors, celebrated a win when the government announced a policy change. For years since the worst of the Aids crisis, the medical establishment upheld the prejudiced view that gay men’s blood is toxic, an outdated fact given the incredible advancements in HIV treatment and sexual health testing.
Ethan Spibey, a director at Purpose Union, a social purpose strategy firm that works with clients to develop campaigns around social impact, founded FreedomToDonate to drive policy change in gay blood donation. Five years since the group was founded, he is ecstatic about the government’s decision to revise its blood donation guidelines. “It’s huge. For the first time ever, gay and bi men are not singled out, or treated as an entirely risky group,” Ethan told Attitude. “Instead, everyone and anyone, regardless of sex or sexuality, is assessed on their individual risk.”