In the 1980s, before the AIDS virus had been identified, Canada set an indefinite period that banned any man who had sex with men from donating blood. The ban lasted until July 2013, when it was revised to allow an exception for those men who were willing to abstain from sex with other men for five years. In June 2016, the ban was reduced again, this time requiring men to wait one year without sex in order to donate. Yet, every year, Health Canada is in desperate need of donations. In order to address both these problems at one, our campaign asked allies – people who are committed to supporting the gay community – to donate on behalf of those who are denied so we could show Canadian Blood Services how much they’re missing by refusing to re-evaluate the ban.

Musicals are a popular art form within the gay community. By leaning into the tropes that define this genre, we helped bring levity to a normally serious topic – the fight against the ban that prevents gay men from donating blood. Through song, we make the case for blood equality and call on Canadians to join the cause.