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Jaboukie's Hilarious Sketch Proves Why the Gay Blood Ban Is Ridiculous
"At the end of the day, we need science and not stigma to make decisions about donor eligibility."
In a hilarious new sketch, comedian and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah correspondent Jaboukie Young-White is breaking down what the hell is going on with the gay blood ban.
Like all of us, the socially-distanced segment has been affected by the coronavirus, a source of worry for many people around the world. There's no cure or vaccine for COVID-19 just yet, but scientists have discovered that the convalescent plasma of recovered patients can help treat new cases of the virus by giving those recovered antibodies to newly-diagnosed people. The antibodies can fight the virus and help patients recover more quickly.
Young-White's guests in his sketch include Lukus Estok and Dr. Jack Turban, two men who both recovered from COVID-19. With blood banks clamoring for blood from recovered patients, they wanted to help out and give back—but they can't donate their plasma because of their sexuality.
The blood ban is nothing new. After the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, gay men couldn't donate blood at all until 2015. Even then, it came with regulations: gay men had to abstain from sex for one year. As Dr. Turban points out, that makes no sense. A straight man could have sex with one hundred women in a month, without a condom, and be permitted to donate blood. A gay man could only have sex with his husband and still be barred from donating.
COVID-19 has changed that policy...slightly. "In the middle of this pandemic, the FDA relaxed their bullshit policy to three months of abstinence," points out Young-White.
But even after the FDA updated their guidelines, Estok says he went into the New York Blood Center to donate his plasma and was still turned away. They weren't yet recognizing the FDA's relaxed deferral.
"At the end of the day, we need science and not stigma to make decisions about donor eligibility," he says.
It's a shame that the FDA continues to demonize same-sex encounters, but Young-White said it best: "Until the FDA comes around, we'll just have to keep our fine, fabulous blood all to ourselves."
Watch Jaboukie's hilarious and informative sketch below!
Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!
Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!
