Local
Local gay student blocked from making blood donation despite FDA easing policy
Red Cross acknowledges delays, study to examine further change
A gay D.C. native otherwise qualified to donate blood was denied that chance at a local hospital, demonstrating that obstacles remain after the FDA eased its ban on gay donations — even as the agency has set up a pilot study to assess lifting the blanket policy altogether.
Aubrey Lay, a 19-year-old student at the College of William & Mary, told the Washington Blade after the FDA eased its policy last month he registered with his family at Children’s National Hospital, a D.C.-based pediatrics center, in hopes of making a contribution under the belief he’d meet the new requirements.
“As a gay man, I was very excited that the FDA had relaxed its guideline restrictions on MSM donating blood, however imperfect this change may be,” Lay said. “This meant that for the first time since graduating high school, I would be able to donate blood.”
Lay said he would have been ineligible to donate under the former rule requiring 12 months of abstinence for gay men, but believed he would have been eligible under the new rules requiring only three months. Although the hospital’s website had the old information online, Lay said he proceeded to his appointment on April 29 under the “wishful thinking” the hospital would accept him.
But Lay was ultimately blocked from making a donation.
“It turned out I was giving them the benefit of the doubt where I shouldn’t have,” Lay said. “I signed in and had my intake interview during which I explained my sexual history, and that I had last had sexual contact in early January, over the three-month limit. After answering all these questions, I got my finger pricked and iron levels checked, and height, weight, [blood pressure] taken. Only then was I told that I would not be able to donate because the hospital’s policy has not yet caught up to national standards.”
Lay said he was “shaken” by the experience, having wanted to make a blood donation to help out as the nation battles the coronavirus crisis.
As evidence going to the hospital was a risk he didn’t take lightly, Lay said it was the first time he’d left his house in a month because he and his family took the Virginia stay-at-home order “very seriously.”
“I certainly would not have risked my own health, and that of others, had I known I would be turned away,” Lay said.
Amid the blood shortage during the coronavirus pandemic, the FDA last month announced it would ease the ban on blood donations for various groups, including men who have sex with men.
The earlier ban, established in 2015, required gay men to be abstinent for 12 months before making a donation, but the new policy eased those restrictions, requiring a deferral period of three months.
Before 2015, the FDA had a lifetime ban on blood donations from men who have had sex with men. The policy was implemented in 1983 at the height of the AIDS epidemic based on fears donations from gay men would allow HIV to enter the blood supply.
Lay, upon being denied the ability to donate blood, said he found the office of the hospital’s president next to the blood donation room and sought an audience.
The president, Lay said, apologized for the confusion and connected him with the doctor in charge of the blood bank. The doctor, Lay said, told him the hospital’s computer systems were interlaced with the new policy and — in normal times without coronavirus — it would take a month to disentangle them and make them consistent with the new policy.
The website for the Children’s National Hospital has been updated and no longer indicates it follows the earlier 12-month policy, but is in the process of making a transition to conform to the new guidance by June 2020.
A Children’s National Hospital spokesperson confirmed the center is still in the process of updating its policy for gay donors and expects resolution next month.
“We have the deepest appreciation for all our blood donors and see every day how their donation saves lives,” the spokesperson said. “We take every step to adhere to all regulations around blood donation and are working to update our policies, donor questionnaire and computer systems to align to the new FDA regulations. The FDA just approved the donor questionnaire for sites to use and we are hoping to have all policies in place in June. We encourage anyone who would like to donate to make an appointment and double check on the eligibility before coming in.”
Lay’s story isn’t unique as other gay men have reported being unable to donate blood after the FDA eased its ban. Whether or not each of these men expected to meet the requirements under the new deferral period of three months is unclear.
Gay TV personality Andy Cohen says he was denied the chance to donate, even though his plasma would be rich in the antibody for COVID-19. Lukus Estok, a young gay man who recovered from COVID-19, also told his story about being denied the opportunity to make a donation at the New York Blood Center. His Facebook post went viral on social media and was featured in a Good Morning America article.
Mathew Lasky, a spokesperson for the LGBTQ media watchdog GLAAD, which has been leading calls for a change in blood policy, said more and more stories are emerging of LGBTQ people being blocked from making donations despite the recent change.
“GLAAD is continuing to pressure the FDA to put science above stigma, and to remove any time-based deferral on gay and bisexual men, and others in the LGBTQ community, donating blood,” Lasky said. “In the meantime, it’s critical for individual blood centers to begin adhering to the new FDA guidelines as not to continue needlessly discriminating against LGBTQ people, and to address the critical blood supply shortages we’re seeing during COVID-19.”
The American Red Cross, which had called for the FDA to shorten its deferral period from the 12 months to three months before the new policy was implemented, cautioned via a spokesperson the implementation of updated rules “will take time.”
“As the largest blood provider in the country, we are working to implement the updated FDA eligibility changes and will provide an update on timeline in the near future,” the spokesperson said. “It’s important to note that the implementation process includes potentially thousands of individuals and involves complex system updates that do take time. We are working to develop a reinstatement process to share with potential donors in the near future.”
UPDATE: A Red Cross spokesperson after publication of this article told the Blade a June 1 target date has been set for full implementation of the FDA policy change.
“The American Red Cross is working to implement the updated FDA eligibility changes on June 1,” the spokesperson said. “We just want to emphasize that this process includes potentially thousands of individuals and involves system updates that will take time to implement.”
Even as blood centers work to update their system to conform to the new policy, LGBTQ advocates have said the change is insufficient and the FDA should scrap its deferral requirements entirely for men who have sex with men and instead implement a policy based on individual risk assessment. Such a policy could enable, for example, monogamous gay men or gay men with safe sex practices to make blood donations.
Among those calling for this change is California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who last month led a letter to the Department of Health & Human Services with 19 other attorneys general urging the Trump administration to abandon the deferral period, citing the success of other countries, such as Spain, Italy and Portugal, that have implemented gender-neutral policies.
Many voices have emerged calling for any and all obstacles to gay men making blood donations being lifted because testing could determine whether a blood donation has HIV. Experts, however, say some caution is necessary as a window exists between donation and testing in which the test wouldn’t be able to determine if a donation was free of the virus.
Scott Schoettes, counsel and the HIV Project Director at Lambda Legal, articulated that warning in a conference call last month with reporters.
“People believe that it catches all new cases of HIV or new cases of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, other blood borne infections,” Schoettes said. “That is not the case. There is still a window period during which that testing would not uncover a newly acquired infection.”
But in a rare situation of hitting both the gas and brake at the same time amid a policy change, the FDA has indicated the agency also is in the early stages of a pilot program to determine whether or not the ban can be changed further in favor of a risk-based assessment.
Megan McSeveney, an FDA spokesperson, confirmed the agency is set to begin the study with “about 2,000 men who have sex with men and who would be willing to donate blood.”
“This study, being conducted at community health centers in key locations across the United States, could generate data that will help the FDA determine if a donor questionnaire based on individual risk assessment would be as effective as time-based deferrals in reducing the risk of HIV,” McSeveney said.
The Red Cross is participating in the efforts to ensure a new risk-based policy as opposed to a deferral period will keep the blood supply safe, a spokesperson for the non-profit said.
“We are very early in the study – we are currently finalizing the content of the new questions, and developing the specifics of the protocols, including site selection, which then will require government and ethical review board approval,” the spokesperson said. “The results of testing in combination with the responses to the questionnaire will be used to determine the value of the questions in interdicting new HIV infections.”
Based on the limited information of the study, there’s no indication a change will, in fact, follow eliminating the deferral period for gay men entirely in favor of a risk-based assessment.
Sarah Kate Ellis, CEO of GLAAD, said in a statement the pilot study was wholly necessary given medical experts who say any kind of deferral period is “stigma, not science.”
“During the current crisis, the FDA is wasting time and money on a pilot study when all the scientific research and medical authorities plainly state that gay and bi man should not be restricted from donating blood,” Ellis said. “All blood donations, regardless of sexual orientation, are screened to ensure healthy samples and now the American Medical Association, leading elected officials, and more than 600 medical professionals have all done the work for the FDA and unequivocally state that this ban needs to end.”
Lay, caught in the middle of reconsideration of the policy, said he awaits the day when the restrictions are changed so LGBTQ people can finally donate blood at a time when their help is needed.
“Because of this crisis, blood donation centers should not be turning people away at the door who are by all measures qualified donors, risking their health and the health of those around them by their very presence in these spaces,” Lay said. “It is so important that we make this discrepancy between policy and practice known so that we can push for more transparency in blood donation, and hopefully full implementation of the new policy, albeit imperfect.”
Delaware
Del. AG Jennings seeks third term touting LGBTQ support, decline in crime
‘To discriminate against trans children is child abuse’
(Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part report on the race for Delaware attorney general. For last week’s interview with Democratic candidate Dwayne Bensing, visit washingtonblade.com.)
Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings spoke to the Washington Blade to discuss why she should be elected to a third term.
Born and raised in Wilmington, Del., Jennings’ career in criminal prosecution spans decades. Prior to being sworn in as Delaware’s attorney general in 2019, Jennings worked as a prosecutor under the Delaware Department of Justice for years before being named Delaware State Prosecutor.
As a prosecutor, Jennings worked to convict the serial killer responsible for the murders of five women in New Castle County. This case was the first that DNA analysis was used as evidence in a Delaware court.
“My focus for years has been reducing violent crime in our state, in particular gun violence. Over the course of my tenure, we have seen a dramatic drop in violent crime,” said Jennings.
According to the Criminal Justice Council, under Jennings’s leadership in 2024, Delaware saw its lowest violent crime rate on record.
“We are seeing violent crime going down to historic lows in the state of Delaware, and in particular in our largest city, the city of Wilmington,” said Jennings.
At the end of 2023, homicides had decreased in Wilmington by more than 50% and shootings in Dover had declined by 23%. Additionally, the state’s prison population fell by nearly 25% since 2019 and the recidivism rates declined by 60%.
Jennings explained “This job takes commitment, dedication, and lots of experience in the criminal justice system, because it’s our job to make sure that the criminal justice system is fair and equal to everyone.”
Within her efforts to reduce violent crime, Jennings said that she has especially focused on fighting gun violence.
“I have made a priority in my administration to go after the gun lobby and to make sure that the state of Delaware has gun safety laws that are effective in reducing violent crime and that also are effective in protecting people, most especially our children,” she said.
“The No. 1 cause of death for children in our country are guns, and as long as that’s the case, my work is not done,” she added.
Jennings said that she wants to protect children in particular from gun violence and that this fight remains a work in progress.
“We are beating the gun lobby in the legislature and in the courts, and we are seeing dramatic results in terms of reductions in gun violence that takes a lot of work that is ongoing,” said Jennings.
Fighting the Trump administration remains an integral part of Jennings’s work as attorney general, as she has sued the Trump administration more than 40 times.
“The Trump administration’s lawsuits could have cost Delaware almost a billion dollars in federal funds if we had succumbed to their extortionist threats, and we didn’t do that.” said Jennings.
“We sued opioid manufacturers and distributors, getting $250 million to this state to fight addiction as a result of that. We will continue to do all the work that Delawareans expect us to do,” said Jennings.
“We’re successful, and we’re going to continue to be successful,” Jennings said regarding her legal battles with the Trump administration.
In terms of support for the LGBTQ+ community, Jennings has previously sued HHS for discriminating against transgender Delawareans.
Last summer, Jennings sent a letter to Nemours Children’s Hospital imploring them to reconsider its decision to stop providing gender-affirming care services to new transgender youth patients. Her primary opponent, Dwayne Bensing, criticized this letter for not being strong enough in protecting the trans community.
The Blade asked Jennings about how she plans to continue to be an ally to the LGBTQ+ in a third term. She responded by saying: “We need to keep fighting to ensure that there are constitutional amendments that further protect children and protect marriage equality in our state, and we’re fighting to make sure those amendments are on the way.”
“To discriminate against trans children, in my mind, is child abuse. That’s what we’ve been fighting in the courts,” said Jennings.
Jennings emphasized the importance of protecting LGBTQ+ youth by noting, “Our children deserve an environment where they are treated with compassion and equality.”
“It’s going to take a very strong attorney general who knows what she is doing to continue this fight,” said Jennings.
The Blade also asked Jennings about her oversight of the restructuring of OpenAI. Originally founded as a nonprofit corporation in Delaware in 2015, OpenAI announced its goal to transition to a for profit corporation in May of 2025.
“It is the duty of the attorney general to ensure that a corporation is fulfilling its charitable purpose,” said Jennings. “OpenAI’s charitable purpose is to use it to benefit all of humanity. That’s a big mission.”
Jennings worked closely with California Attorney General Rob Bonta to oversee OpenAI’s transition from nonprofit to for profit.
“We got deeply involved in Open AI’s restructuring process to make sure the charitable corporation would be capitalized well to fulfill their mission of benefiting humanity and that they would prioritize safety. Those two goals were achieved.”
The restructuring process was approved by Jennings and Bonta in October of 2025. They appointed three independent directors to oversee OpenAI’s actions. “These three are independent directors who report to us several times a year,” said Jennings.
“We achieved a far superior result, because we are in the boardroom, we’re able to see what [OpenAI] is doing.”
“We have the full ability to go after OpenAI if they don’t fulfill our urges and we get the ability to oversee them on an ongoing regular basis,” said Jennings.
Jennings reiterated her desire to continue her work as attorney general: “These fights have to continue uninterrupted by people who know what they’re doing.”
“It is an honor and a privilege to have been voted in by Delawareans these last two terms, and I’m asking them to put me in again. I’m fighting hard,” said Jennings.
The primary election for Delaware attorney general is Sept. 15.
District of Columbia
New report says LGBTQ young adults in D.C. facing affordability crisis
79 percent of respondents reported difficulty paying rent or mortgage
A newly released report on the findings of a survey of 304 LGBTQ young people aged 18-30 who live in D.C. shows as many as 79 percent of those surveyed report they are struggling to pay rent or a mortgage.
The report, entitled Out and Counted: 2026 LGBTQ+ Young People Community Survey Findings, also shows at least 80 percent of those surveyed “feel isolated often or some of the time” and their reported use of tobacco-nicotine products, alcohol, and marijuana was “significantly higher” than that of the general adult population.
“Nearly one third of respondents have considered leaving the District, driven by housing insecurity,” the report says.
The survey and report were prepared jointly by the D.C.-based Wanda Alston Foundation, which provides housing and other support services for at-risk and homeless LGBTQ youth, and the Los Angeles-based Loyola Marymount University’s LGBTQ+ Politics Research Initiative.
The report says the LGBTQ young people completed the detailed survey in March and April of 2026 “thanks to multiple outreach strategies, including paid digital ads, in-person outreach, and other communication channels.”
Cesar Toledo, executive director of the Wanda Alston Foundation, said the survey included as many as 80 questions and a number of local LGBTQ organizations helped in arranging for the young people to take the survey.
“These findings suggest the District’s LGBTQ+ young people are being pushed to the brink,” Toledo said in a statement released by the Alston Foundation. “They are working hard, yet hitting an affordability cliff, deepened by a loneliness paradox and alarming health-risk behaviors,” he said.
He added, “To ignore these findings is to accept a ‘Queer Flight’ that will displace our LGBTQ+ community and drain the very lavender economic engine that Wells Fargo once famously noted as a secret sauce to economic growth.”
Gabriel Magni, associate professor of political science and Director of the LGBTQ+ Politics Research Initiative at Loyola Marymount University, said in the statement that the survey finding indicate that LGBTQ young people can be priced out “traditional LGBTQ+ hubs” that have historically been important in advancing LGBTQ equality.
“These findings raise serious concerns regarding affordability and the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth in a city that has long welcomed the LGBTQ+ community,” he said in the statement.
The report says about 41 percent of the survey respondents identified as gay, 17 percent as lesbian, 16 percent as bisexual, 14 percent as queer, 8 percent as pansexual, 1 percent as asexual, and 1 percent as demisexual.
The full report can be accessed here.
District of Columbia
Capital Pride draws tens of thousands to D.C.
Revelers lined 14th Street for parade, festival took place on Pennsylvania Avenue.
Tens of thousands of people gathered across D.C. over the weekend as Capital Pride celebrated its annual Pride festivities with a parade, festival, concerts, parties, and community events centered on the theme “EXIST. RESIST. Have the Audacity!”
Although the events took place a week later than usual due to America 250 celebrations the week prior, crowds turned out in force to celebrate Pride month and the LGBTQ community.
The weekend began with the Crack of Noon Parade Brunch, where awardees were recognized and parade grand marshals David Archuleta and Monroe Alise mingled with attendees. Honorees included D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Benjamin Coy, Charity Blackwell, Darryl Hamilton, Thea Kano, Kendall Martinez-Wright, Lee Levingston Perine, Dylan Drobish, Tyler Hack, Patrick Magee, Judy Schloss, Darrell Wood, Tyler Cargill, and Dai Nguyen.
Saturday’s Pride parade kicked off at 3 p.m., drawing large crowds along 14th Street, N.W.
Floats, cheerleaders, marching bands, and performers entertained attendees as they made their way through the city. The Canadian Embassy’s float featured cardboard cutouts of characters from “Heated Rivalry,” while others sprayed water into the crowd to provide relief from the summer heat.
Attendees of all ages lined the streets, with children reaching for bracelets, candy, and bubble wands tossed from parade participants. Pride flags waved throughout the crowd, and businesses along the route decorated storefronts in celebration. Others watched from balconies and rooftops overlooking the parade.
The parade also remembered SaVanna Wanzer, a lifelong D.C. resident who passed from natural causes on April 24. Wanzer was a longtime advocate for LGBTQ rights, specifically transgender rights, in the community, creating her own celebrations and organizations over the years. Multiple floats featured framed photos and flowers in her honor.
Following the parade, thousands gathered at the 17th Street Block Party, presented by Absolut Vodka. The event featured performances by DJs Bruno and Lauren, and Citrine the Queen as attendees danced and celebrated into the evening.
Earlier in the day, younger attendees participated in family-friendly activities at Stead Park, including glitter tattoos, hair tinsel, crafts, and other activities before heading to the parade.
Celebrations continued throughout the night with events including RIOT! The Official Parade Opening Party, featuring headliner Myki Meeks, as well as ELIX-Her and KINETIC: Toyland. Across the city, LGBTQ community members and allies gathered for parties and nightlife events that extended well into the evening.
The festivities continued Sunday with the Capital Pride Festival and Concert.
Hundreds of vendors lined the festival along Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., offering everything from handmade crafts and leather goods to nonprofit fundraising opportunities and political initiatives. Attendees browsed booths, enjoyed food and drinks, and spent the afternoon exploring the festival.
The main concert featured performances by Maren Morris, queer rapper Leikeli47, Lisa Lisa, “Heated Rivalry” DJ Harrison, Tracy Young, and Meeks. Additional performances took place at the Monument Stage and Dupont Dance Stage.
The Monument Stage featured DJ Jerry’s Dance Party, DC’s Different Drummers, and Vagenesis, while the Dupont Dance Stage hosted a variety of DJs and provided space for attendees to dance throughout the day.
While much of the weekend focused on celebration and joy, organizers said this year’s theme, “EXIST. RESIST. Have the Audacity!,” reflected both the resilience of LGBTQ people and the challenges the community faces, and speakers emphasized Pride’s roots in activism and community.
“Grounded in the undeniable truth that our existence is not up for debate, this year’s theme calls on the community to live loudly and proudly, stand firm against injustice and erasure, and embody the collective strength that has always defined the LGBTQ+ community,” said Capital Pride Alliance in a statement.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union, there are 530 anti-LGBTQ+ bills across the U.S. that have been introduced this year. While 333 have been defeated, 93 are advancing in their legislature, and 33 have been passed into law or will soon be.
The U.S. Supreme Court is currently in the process of deliberating on the topic of trans athletes in college-level sports, and recently supported a case allowing for what is considered so-called conversion therapy under Colorado law. At a time when support for the LGBTQ community seems to be fading, the message from the Capital Pride Alliance is a reminder that Pride began as a protest.
Earlier Sunday at the main concert stage, Rayceen Pendarvis addressed attendees, speaking about the ongoing work required to create change and the importance of perseverance.
“I leave you with the words of Angela Davis: ‘I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change, I am changing the things I cannot accept,’” Pendarvis said.
Pendarvis has a legacy in D.C. for fighting for change, emceeing LGBTQ events, and using her strengths, as she refers to herself as a “queer elder,” to be able to use her experience and wisdom to push her community in the direction she wishes to see it go.
“Love is also the greatest gift we have. You are the light that outweighs the darkness,” Pendarvis said.
She then asked attendees to turn to someone they did not know, hug them, and tell them they loved them. The crowd responded by embracing one another in a moment that reflected the sense of community that defined the weekend.
Dupont Circle once again fenced off during Pride
The celebrations unfolded amid renewed attention on Dupont Circle.
The National Park Service closed Dupont Circle Park from June 19 through June 22 at 6 p.m., citing public safety concerns. According to NPS, the closure was intended “to provide for public health and safety and protect natural and cultural resources in Dupont Circle Park.”
The weekend was largely free of major incidents.
However, a shooting occurred Saturday night near the 900 block of Florida Avenue, N.W., near the U Street Corridor shortly after 10 p.m. Two men sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities have not indicated any connection between the shooting and Pride events.
The weekend concluded with the “Capitol” Sunset Party, providing a final celebration for attendees as another year of Capital Pride festivities came to a close.
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