Brazillian politician: Let patients choose between gay and straight donor blood
A Congressman in Brazil has come under fire for suggesting that hospital patients should be allowed the choice to reject “gay” blood.
Congressman Jair Bolsonaro has said his far-right Progressive Party would implement a policy meaning patients would be made aware when they were receiving a blood donation of its origin, and would be able to reject it if it came from a gay donor.
The 60-year-old went on to say that recipients should be able to ask for blood from a straight donor, if they do not wish to receive a transfusion from a gay person.
According to radio station Portal Metropole, Bolsonaro said blood gets “all mixed up”, and that people should be given a choice regarding its origin.
He has been accused of scaremongering by creating misinformed fears around hospital patient safety.
The proposed policy was announced as Brazil relaxed its laws around blood donations from gay men.
As with other countries, blood donations from men who have sex with men (MSM) were previously banned completely, but are now allowed to donate if they are in a long term relationship or if they have not had sex in the past 12 months.
Bolsonaro has in the past been outspoken about his opposition to same-sex relationships.
