The Lower Saxony State Parliament has approved an application by the FDP parliamentary group for non-discriminatory blood donation with a large majority.

"The time of discrimination must be over," demands the social policy spokeswoman for the Lower Saxony FDP parliamentary group, Sylvia Bruns. "We cannot afford to exclude people who are willing to donate from donating blood because of their gender or sexual identity," said Bruns.

Until now, homosexual and transsexual people had to live sexually abstinent for a year in order to be admitted to blood donation - which is almost an exclusion. For all other risk groups, this period is only four months. The Lower Saxony FDP parliamentary group wants to put an end to this discriminatory inequality.

The blanket exclusion of homosexual and transsexual people represents unsustainable discrimination for the Free Democrats without medical need . The decisive factor for an infection risk is not the sexual or gender identity of a person, but the actual risk behavior, for example through unprotected sexual intercourse with frequently changing partners.

By excluding homosexuals and transsexuals when donating blood, the already existing lack of life-saving donations is exacerbated. According to information from the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA), around 15,000 blood donations per day are required in Germany .

During the debate on the FDP application, homophobic statements by AfD politician Stephan Bothe were made in the Lower Saxony state parliament, according to which homosexual blood donors would pose a danger. Björn Försterling , deputy chairman of the FDP parliamentary group, then made it very clear: "There are many homosexual relationships that are monogamous. There is no sexual risk behavior. It is impossible to understand why these people did not have sexual intercourse for twelve months a monogamous relationship and practicing in a marriage because that is the only way they can donate blood. We can’t really do without this blood. "

According to Sylvia Bruns, the fact that the Lower Saxony State Parliament accepted the FDP application with a large majority is a great success for the Free Democrats and an important step towards a non-discriminatory blood donation. Read more via Liberal