Stigmatisation of Transgender People in Indian Blood Donation Policies

Abstract

In recent years, India has started to open up to changes that challenge patriarchal norms. Following the decriminalisation of Section 377 IPC by Indian law, decades of intersecting oppressions and tags on the queer community were reformed. However, victimisation and stigmatisation of sexual and gender minorities still continues in various areas of life, including the healthcare sector. This was evident during the Covid pandemic, which created a strong demand for blood donations, but in many reported cases, the queer community was denied the opportunity to donate blood, which clearly demonstrates that while laws have evolved, stigmatisation persists. This paper focuses on Indian blood donation guidelines, reviews about laws that are being put into place to prevent queer people from donating blood, and discusses countries where queer people are excluded from blood donation programs. The paper closes with a set of suggestions to help overcome discriminatory blood donation policies.