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Feminisme

Almost Everyone Can Donate Blood—Except Sex Workers

If you've ever exchanged money for sexual services, you're barred from giving blood in the UK—forever. Sex workers explain why the ban is unjust.

I'm technically barred from ever giving blood again," says Priya. "I've donated blood before when I was younger and always been really enthusiastic about it. I know I could donate blood, but now I can't."

Priya, like 80,000 other people in the UK, is a sex worker. Part of a workforce that is roughly the same size as the population of the English market town of Burnley, she belongs to a group of employees that—in spite of their numbers—face prejudice, imprisonment, or even violence because of the stigma that surrounds their work.

In this case, Priya is frustrated by yet another problem in the constellation of complex issues faced by those in her industry: Under current legislation, sex workers are still not allowed to give blood.

In spite of the ongoing battle for gay and bisexual men to donate blood, men who have had sex with men can only give blood if they haven't been sexually active in the last 12 months.

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