The Chinese Ministry of Health has lifted a 14-year-old ban on lesbians donating blood in effect as of July 1.
The ban still applies to men who are s*xually active with other men, but celibate homos*xuals are permitted to give blood, according to the Ministry of Health's website.
The original ban, enacted in 1998, barred homosexuals of both genders from donating blood out of a fear of spreading HIV and AIDS.
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Xu Bin, a prominent lesbian rights activist in China, told the Global Times she applauded the amendment and what it means for lesbians in China.
"It is also about our dignity and the elimination of blood donation discrimination," she was quoted as saying.
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Xu, who goes by her nickname Xian, first tried to donate blood in 2008 after an earthquake in Sichuan Province, when she learned of the ban and began campaigning against it.
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"It's scientific that the policy doesn't mention homosexual identity but only fences off some who have certain s*x behaviors, because AIDS is not caused by one's homosexual identity but improper s*xual behavior," Xian told the Global Times.
AIDS first made an appearance in China in the 1980s when an Argentinean tourist died from the disease while on holiday in the country. Like other areas of the world, the epidemic was shrouded in confusion which was exacerbated in China by official denials that it existed there.
