Game Of Thrones has upset a number of American LGBT+ fans after a blood drive competition to win premiere tickets for the final season has left out its gay fans.
The Bleed For The Throne blood drive has been launched in association with show creators HBO and the Red Cross in order to encourage more people to donate – with everyone who gives blood getting a special edition t-shirt and put in a ballot for premiere tickets.
However, donation laws in the US (and the UK) forbids those who have engaged in male-to-male intercourse to give blood, as well as women who have had sex with bisexual men 12 months prior to the donation date.
So as a result, if you’re a sexually active member of the LGBT community, you won’t be able to take part in the competition in any form.
In the US, this policy was put in place back in 1983 as a federal law banning all donations from gay men, but it was amended to the 12-month policy in 2015.
It was originally put in place in the height of the AIDS crisis in a bid to stop the virus from spreading via blood donation, but medical discoveries and facilities means this is a lot less of an issue.
When the show promoted the blood drive, gay fans, as well as fans who for medical reasons also weren’t able to give blood, reached out to them in order to understand how they can get involved.
HBO and The Red Cross released a joint statement regarding Bleed For The Throne and asserted that if you were to wait in a standby line, you could still access their immersive experience at SXSW Festival this weekend.
Those who are unable to donate blood themselves can enter the sweepstakes by contacting the Red Cross Donor Support Center, they told The Daily Beast.
Game Of Thrones season 8 launches 14 April
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