Apology to 2SLGBTQIA+ communities

At Canadian Blood Services, what we do affects the well-being of people and communities across Canada. Every day, our ability to meet patient needs relies on the trust we build with volunteer donors. However, our former donor deferral policy that prevented all sexually active men who have sex with men, and some trans people from donating blood and plasma, harmed many from 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.  

The policy was put in place with the intent to protect patient safety after the Canadian blood system crisis of the 1980s. We regret that for many years the former policy also contributed to discrimination, homophobia, transphobia, and HIV stigma within society.  

Since the implementation of sexual behaviour-based screening in September 2022, all blood and plasma donors are now asked questions about their sexual behaviour, regardless of their partner. Questions that specifically deferred men who have sex with men from donating blood and plasma were removed. Trans and gender diverse donors are no longer asked about gender-affirming surgeries and trans donors with a binary gender are no longer registered according to their sex assigned at birth.   

While this new approach to donor screening represents a significant step towards ensuring greater inclusion within Canada’s blood system, it does not erase the harm experienced by gay, bi and queer men, Two-Spirit and trans people, and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community at large.

Canadian Blood Services apologizes to gay, bi, and queer men, trans people and queer people more broadly, for the impact of the former deferral policy. We acknowledge how this policy reinforced the harmful public perception that someone’s blood is somehow less safe, because of their sexual orientation.

Canadian Blood Services also apologizes to our employees, past and present, who, over the years, may have had to explain or defend the policy, your well-intentioned work, or even your place of work, to members of your community. We recognize the difficult and uncomfortable situation this created for many of you.

Today, some people from diverse 2SLGBTQIA+ communities continue to experience disappointment or frustration because of our donor eligibility criteria or during the donation process. We are committed to engaging with and acting on feedback and experiences to ensure our policies, practices and interactions with equity-deserving communities are as inclusive and welcoming as possible.

We want to extend our gratitude to the many individuals and communities who have worked tirelessly for more than a decade to make participation in Canada’s Lifeline more inclusive. We are deeply thankful to queer communities for their advocacy, research and collaboration to advance this work, including our 2SLGBTQIA+ employee resource group and our external 2SLGBTQIA+ Advisory Committee and other advisory groups. We are also grateful to patients and patient organizations for their support throughout this process. We recognize this is a complex issue, and engagement on this topic was and remains difficult for many.  

Numerous Canadian Blood Services employees, including employees who are members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, have contributed countless hours over the years to reduce donor deferral periods and ultimately, implement sexual behaviour-based screening. For some, it has been their life’s work to maximize donor inclusion while ensuring safety. We are incredibly grateful for their unwavering commitment and perseverance.  

To those across Canada who are now willing to engage with us or may even be considering donating given the latest policy change, thank you. We are looking forward to welcoming you at one of our donor centres across the country. 

To those who aren’t there yet or may never be there — we understand. We will endeavour to earn your trust and will make our workplaces and donor centres inclusive and welcoming for all communities. We will continue to work to demonstrate our sincerity, through sustained and meaningful actions related to 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion.  

Dr. Graham Sher, CEO, Canadian Blood Services
On behalf of Canadian Blood Services’ Executive Management Team and Board of Directors 

Our apology was developed in close collaboration with 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in Canada.

We see it as a necessary step in our ongoing journey to build trust and repair relationships with individuals and communities impacted by the former donor eligibility policy. 

We’re dedicated to continued dialogue, engagement, and collaboration with diverse 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, to make policies, processes, and interactions with Canadian Blood Services more inclusive. 

The Canadian Blood Services 2SLGBTQIA+ advisory committee was established in 2022 and is comprised of representatives of 2SLGBTQIA+ civil society organizations.  

Its mandate is to provide ongoing advice and input on our 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion efforts, while supporting broader engagement of the community within our shared work.   

The relationships we have built with 2SLGBTQIA+ advisory committee members, and the community-led process to develop our apology, is serving as a model for how Canadian Blood Services seeks to engage and collaborate with equity-deserving, racialized and Indigenous communities in Canada, moving forward.

Learn more about the 2SLGBTQIA+ advisory committee

• News release: Canadian Blood Services delivers apology to 2SLGBTQIA+ communities (May 2024)
• What the shift to new donor screening means for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities
• Sexual behaviour-based screening
• Our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and reconciliation
• Statement: Canadian Blood Services’ statement on Pride Month
• News release: Canadian Blood Services to remove eligibility criteria specific to men who have sex with men (April 2022)

We are apologizing for the harms experienced by gay, bisexual, and queer men and some trans people because of the former donor deferral policy that prevented all sexually active men who have sex with men and some trans people from donating blood and plasma.   

We regret that for many years, the former policy contributed to discrimination, homophobia, transphobia, and HIV stigma within society. We understand and acknowledge how this policy reinforced the harmful public perception that someone’s blood is somehow less safe, because of their sexual orientation. 

The implementation of sexual behaviour-based screening marked an important milestone in our journey to foster greater inclusion within Canada’s Lifeline. However, it did not erase the former donor deferral policy’s contributions to discrimination, homophobia, transphobia, and HIV stigma within society.   

Before issuing an apology, we needed to ensure that our words were backed up with concrete and ongoing actions to foster greater 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion within Canada’s Lifeline.  

Following the implementation of sexual behaviour-based screening, we began working in close collaboration and consultation with 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in Canada to develop our apology.  

We are apologizing because it is the right thing to do.

Our apology was a necessary step in our ongoing journey to make all processes, policies, and interactions with Canadian Blood Services more inclusive for diverse 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. 

We know there are many people from 2SLGBTQIA+ communities who may still not be ready or willing to donate or engage with us — and may never be — and we understand. 

Our actions and commitments to increase 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion at Canadian Blood Services to date, include:  

• Establishing a dedicated and well-resourced DEI team, led by a senior leader who reports directly to the CEO.   
• Delivering training and education to employees and leaders on topics including allyship, having sex-positive conversations, respectful pronoun use, supporting trans and gender diverse people and how to ensure an inclusive experience for 2SLGBTQIA+ donors.   
• Actively working on short- and long-term changes to registration and screening practices, in consultation with people from trans, non-binary and gender diverse communities.   
• Establishing a 2SLGBTQIA+ advisory committee that includes representatives from 2SLGBTQIA+ civil society organizations.   
• Working with a leading queer-owned and operated advisory firm to engage diverse community stakeholders effectively and respectfully. 
• Publicly committing to supporting ongoing efforts to make organ and tissue donation policies more inclusive.  
• Establishing employee resource groups for 2SLGBTQIA+ employees, BIPOC employees, employees with disabilities, and women and non-binary employees.  
• Implementing sexual behaviour-based screening for all donors. All donors are now asked questions about sexual behaviour, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.  

We’re dedicated to continued dialogue and engagement with 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and all communities that have been impacted by former and current donation policies. 

We acknowledge and understand there are other historical and current donor policies and screening processes that disproportionately impact other diverse and intersecting communities in Canada. We are dedicated to reviewing policies and donation criteria on an ongoing basis, incorporating new technologies, and reducing or removing barriers to donation whenever safety is assured. This includes assessing changes to the donor screening process for malaria, which disproportionately defers people from Black and South Asian communities.  

We’re currently prioritizing trust-building and engagement with Black communities, Indigenous communities, and other diverse, equity-seeking communities in Canada. We seek to apply approaches and lessons learned from our collaborative work with 2SLGBTQIA+ communities to these conversations and engagements.