The New 'Jigsaw' Movie Is Protesting the Blood Donation Ban Against Gay/Bi Men

The Saw horror movie franchise is back with its latest installment, simply entitled Jigsaw. This time, they’re not only going to scare the crap out of you with horrifying gore, they’re also taking a stand against the absurd restriction the FDA has against gay and bisexual men from donating blood.

In 2015, the FDA changed their longstanding policy that prohibited men who had sex with another man anytime since 1977 from donating blood. However, their new rule still prohibits men who had sex with men in the past 12 months from donating. All blood donated is tested for HIV. While there can be false negatives, one in two million donations might carry HIV and transmit HIV if given to a patient. The likelihood that you'll acquire HIV from a blood transfusion is lower than your risk of getting killed by lightning.

That’s why anyone who makes the claim that the current policy significantly helps to reduce the risk of transferring HIV is completely wrong. The ban is solely based in queerphobia.  

Well, with their latest ad campaign called "All Types Welcome," Jigsaw hopes to call out ludicrous rule.

The campaign (which just recently began rolling out) has eight high-profile celebrities of various genders and sexual orientations—including Shaun Ross, an openly gay model, and the nightlife queen herself, Amanda Lepore—dressed as fashionable, futuristic nurses, encouraging people to donate blood in preparation for Jigsaw.

The blood drive starts on Oct. 5 in New York and expands to 25 cities in the following weeks. (More details are available at JigsawSaves.com.)

Amanda Lepore told The New York Times an interview, "It’s exclusion, and it’s ridiculous, and it’s discriminatory."

Mark Burg, the producer who has helped steer the Saw franchise, told The New York Times point-blank, “We want this policy changed.”

Hopefully, this ad campaign will help sway those in the FDA to get rid of the discriminatory ban once and for all.