GMHC Joins Conversation on FDA's Discriminatory Blood Donor Policy

On October 6, GMHC's CEO Kelsey Louie will join "Blood Illuminated: A Conversation on the FDA's Discriminatory Policy on Blood Donations from Gay and Bisexual Men," a panel discussion at the American University Museum on the FDA's continued discriminatory policy, which bans donations from all men who have had sex with men, regardless of their actual HIV risk.

Moderated by journalist Mark Joseph Stern of Slate.com, the panel will also feature Scott Schoettes, HIV Project Director at Lambda Legal; Howard Grossman, M.D., Internist and former Director of the American Academy of HIV Medicine and Medical Supervisor and blood donor in "Blood Mirror"; Oliver Anene, GMHC employee and an LGBT Activist from Nigeria on political asylum in the U.S. and blood donor in "Blood Mirror"; and Prof. I. Glenn Cohen, Faculty Director, Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology & Bioethics at Harvard Law School, who is one of the world's leading experts on the intersection of bioethics and the law.

FDA Commissioner, Stephen Ostroff, MD was invited to participate and declined the invitation and declined to send an FDA representative in his place.

There will also be a performance by The Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, DC, following the panel and Q&A.
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While other countries have begun to use risk-based assessments to screen blood donations, the U.S. FDA recently proposed an updated policy that would allow gay and bisexual men to donate blood, but only if they are celibate for a full year, which would still amount to a de facto lifetime ban for nearly all men who have sex with men, even gay married couples who are HIV-negative.

There is no celibacy requirement for heterosexuals, regardless of their risk for contracting HIV. A recent study by UCLA's Williams Institute found that lifting the ban completely would increase the blood supply in the U.S. by 2-4 percent -- blood that could be used to help save the lives of more than a million people each year.
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Art has always played a critical role in raising a mirror to injustice, and "Blood Mirror" literally does just that in response to the FDA's discriminatory and unscientific ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men. GMHC has helped lead the resistance to the FDA's continued discrimination, and its CEO Kelsey Louie was a donor for the "Blood Mirror" sculpture-exhibition currently on display at the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center in Washington, D.C. until October 18.

In 2014/2015, artist Jordan Eagles enlisted a group of nine extraordinary gay, bisexual, and transgender men, each with a unique life story, to donate their blood in protest of the FDA's ban for the sculpture, "Blood Mirror" -- a 7-foot-tall, interactive, monolithic sculpture. Viewers can enter "Blood Mirror" and see themselves reflected through the blood of the nine donors.

This blood has been encased in resin and is fully preserved, ensuring that the organic material will not change over time. A totem of science and equality, "Blood Mirror" is an archive of the donors' blood that confronts the 32-year history of the FDA's ban.

The exhibition also features a second sculpture, "Untitled," which preserves the blood bags, blood collection tubes, and medical protective clothing used during the blood donation process and the creation of "Blood Mirror." Through the works in this exhibition, Eagles, his creative collaborators, and blood donors aim to inspire dialogue about the FDA's discriminatory policy and its equally flawed proposed revision.

Nine men donated their blood to this project, including Kelsey Louie, Lawrence D. Mass, M.D., CPT.Anthony Woods, Loren Rice, Oliver Anene, Ty Spicha, Blue Bayer, Reverend John Moody, and Howard Grossman, M.D.

"Blood Mirror," organized by Eagles, is presented by the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center. The exhibition also includes collaborative works by Eagles with activist/filmmaker Leo Herrera, fashion designer Jonny Cota of Skingraft and DJ duo The Carry Nation. The exhibition is currently on view and ends October 18.

"Blood Illuminated: A Conversation on the FDA's Discriminatory Policy on Blood Donations from Gay and Bisexual Men" will be held from 7-9 p.m. on October 6 at the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center, located inside the Katzen Arts Center on the first floor toward Ward Circle, at 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW in Washington D.C.