Since 1977, the Food and Drug Administration has prohibited gay and bisexual men from donating blood. This was at a time when the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was not well understood, and it was important to take as many preventative measures as possible to avoid contaminating the nation's blood supply.
However, science and medicine have since advanced to the point that blood screenings for HIV are highly accurate and quick, rendering the initial motive for the ban obsolete. The nation's blood supply continues to face shortages and this ban is "unwarranted" according to the Red Cross, and is only hurting us.
What is more, the ban is discriminatory and promotes homophobia, as men who have had sex with HIV-positive women are allowed to donate, while HIV-negative gay men are not.