Nathaniel Phillips of Pawtucket, Rhode Island organized what he is calling the first LGBTQ-inclusive blood drive in Rhode Island, which he hosted on Dec. 10 in Pawtucket. “As a proud gay American, it’s something that I’ve always felt we should be doing. It’s been a long wait to get back into and to give some blood and do some good,” Phillips told WJAR NBC News-10.
Reports WJAR:
Earlier this year, the FDA relaxed the guidelines establishing a donor screening process based on an individual assessment and not sexual and gender identity, allowing gay and bisexual men to donate blood.
For Nathaniel Phillips, this moment couldn’t come soon enough.
Before this event, the hadn’t donated blood since 2006 because when he came out, he became ineligible.
“I woke up that morning and instantly started crying. It was full excitement,” he said. “I think just being inclusive and not being looked at as someone who’s not part of our community and our country, gives us a sense of inclusivity and being just equal to everybody else in being able to go out and do the good that we all should be doing.”
He organized the LGBTQ+ friendly blood drive to encourage others to join him in donating especially amid a nationwide blood shortage.
“Not all of our donors here today are part of the LGBT community, but they’re part of the community in general and supporting us and being equal and letting us all do it together has been amazing,” he said.
Watch or read the complete WJAR NBC News-10 story here.
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