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ANURAKE SINGTO-ON / SHUTTERSTOCK

Aside from forcing an unsuccessful vote on our nation's gun laws, the shooting at LGBT nightclub Pulse in Orlando, Fla., in which 49 people were killed, has also renewed debates about lifting the limits on gay and bisexual men donating blood.

Currently, men who have had sex with men can only donate blood if they have remained celibate for a year, which is total bullshit.

According to the Seattle Times, Washington state Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell joined two dozen other U.S. senators in pressing the Food and Drug Administration to update their restrictive policies.

“Some of those most touched by this tragedy — members of the LGBT community, who are especially eager to contribute to the response effort — are finding themselves turned away,” Murray and Cantwell, both Washington Democrats, said in a statement. ...

The letter calls on the agency to adopt donation policies based on individual risk, rather than group risk, adopting requirements that “don’t unfairly single out one group of individuals and allow all healthy Americans to donate.”

Although the federal government lifted their strict ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood a year ago, there are still some local blood banks that have upheld the old ban. According to KING 5, local blood donation centers will update their policies to be in line with current federal restrictions.