Gay men refused as blood donors after Orlando shooting  

 (16th June, 2016)

In the wake of the nightclub shooting in Orlando, the city was in desperate need of contributions. However,
hundreds of gay men eager to give blood have been turned away by blood centres. Despite a major clinic
urging people to donate blood, it was prevented by federal law from accepting donations from gay men who
had been sexually active in the past year.

The shooting on Sunday morning left 50 people dead and 53 injured, some seriously. The killer, Omar Mateen,
29, used a semi-automatic assault rifle to create the carnage, which is now the deadliest mass shooting in U.S.
history. Mateen, a New York native, supposedly targeted the LGBT community at the club after being angered
at seeing two men kissing in Miami.

After the attack, the OneBlood donation centre immediately put out an urgent call for donors to help
hospitals deal with the massive influx of injured people. The centre’s website crashed from online traffic, and
more than 5,300 people donated blood through the OneBlood statewide network on Sunday -- a single-day
record. Though response from the public has been huge, sexually active gay and bisexual men are  still barred
from donating.

The ban has caused outrage among some in the gay community who say they are being stopped from helping
their LGBT "brothers and sisters" targeted in Sunday's shooting at the Pulse nightclub. Many hit back at the
ban online, saying it's easier to buy a gun than for a gay man to donate blood in the United States. Many in
the LGBT community are now protesting against the federal policy of barring gay men from donating blood
unless they had been celibate in the previous year.

Dr Ryan Stanton says there's no scientific reason to bar sexually active gay or bisexual men to donate blood
since donated blood must be tested for HIV and other infectious diseases before it could be used. The testing
process typically takes about 24 hours.

He said: "Anybody who meets the basic qualifications, whether homosexual or heterosexual, should be able
to donate blood. It shouldn't be based on your sexual orientation." The Atlantic said: "Even after the most
deadly act against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in American history, the built-in homophobia
of American public health keeps the country from mounting the most effective possible response."

The problem is that there are no plans on the part of the White House to change the guidelines in the near
future. So who can donate blood? All donors must be in good general health, be at least 17 years old -- in
most states, including Florida -- and weigh at least 110 pounds, according to the Red Cross.

In www. breakingnewsenglish.com (adapted)

1. Choose the best ending for each sentence. (5x4=20)

1.1. Hundreds of gay men wanting to donate blood were dismissed by
1.1.1. nurses
1.1.2. the LGBT community
1.1.3. blood centres
1.2. The killer targeted
1.2.1. gay men
1.2.2. transgender people
1.2.3. the LGBT community
1.3. The LGBT community is protesting against
1.3.1. guns
1.3.2. a federal law

Paula Araújo AETP/DL/INGLÊS

 1.3.3. inequality in the workplace
1.4. A doctor said that to be able to give blood people had to meet
1.4.1. pain
1.4.2. basic qualifications
1.4.3. a doctor

2. Answer the following questions. (4x10=40)

2.1. What do you think about what you read?
2.2. Is it unfair that gay men cannot donate blood? Should the law be changed?
2.3. What do you think of donating blood? Should people get paid for it?
2.4. Write an opinion essay on: “Everyone should have to give blood once a year. “
.

Paula Araújo AETP/DL/INGLÊS