Yes, but there may be some other eligibility criteria that apply to you.
- Before we get started…
People of all genders are welcome and safe in our blood donor centres and you’ll always get the same friendly and caring service from our donor centre team members.
You can list your gender and sex recorded at birth separately on our donor system when you first sign up.
For gender, you’ll be able to choose from:
- Woman/female
- Man/male
- Non-binary
- I use a different term
- Prefer not to say
For sex recorded at birth, you’ll be able to choose male or female.
Of course, the team will be happy to use your current name (but we will need to record your legal name the first time) and pronouns if you let us know on the day of your donation.
- As a transgender person, is there any kind of sexual activity that will affect my ability to donate blood or plasma?
The same sexual activity rules apply to all donors.
There’s more information about these on the link below.
Find out more about sexual activity and blood donation here.
- Can I list my sex recorded at birth and my gender separately?
Yes. For gender, you’ll be able to choose from:
- Woman/female
- Man/male
- Non-binary
- I use a different term
- Prefer not to say
For sex recorded at birth, you’ll be able to choose male or female.
- Why do you need to know my sex recorded at birth?
We know your gender is what’s most important, but your medical history and sex recorded at birth can change how donation affects your health and may affect patients receiving your donation.
Knowing your sex recorded at birth helps us keep you safe when you donate, as well as correctly interpret some blood tests like iron and haemoglobin.
Sex hormones affect your haemoglobin (Hb) levels, so Hb in people receiving hormones for gender affirmation (sometimes referred to as HRT) may be affected. A history of having menstrual cycles affects your iron levels.
A history of pregnancy or miscarriage may affect your health and could have implications for patients receiving your blood.
So, knowing your full history can change the type of donation you give and the way we understand some blood tests (like the haemoglobin and ferritin tests, which can be an indicator of iron stores in your blood).Please let us know if you’re on any medications, including gender affirming hormones which can affect haemoglobin and ferritin.
We know this can be a personal and difficult question. Please know we only use this information for donation safety, and we always respect your privacy. You’re welcome in donor centres, and we want you to feel safe there.
- Can I give blood if I’m transgender?
Absolutely. As with all donors, we need to know a few details for your safety as well as the safety of the patients who receive donated blood and plasma products.
As mentioned above, your history can change how donation affects your health.
- Are there different procedures for blood and plasma donation for transgender donors?
You’ll always get the same friendly and caring service from our donor centre team members, but we may make some small adjustments on our end to account for individual differences in donors. Those differences may be related to your sex recorded at birth or hormones for gender affirmation, so make sure you let us know when we ask about medications.
- I’m on gender affirming hormones. Can I give blood or plasma?
Yes, as long as you meet the other eligibility criteria and let us know when we ask about what medications you’re taking (as these can affect some of your blood values including your haemoglobin).
- I’ve had gender affirmation surgery. Can I donate blood or plasma?
Yes, as long as you meet the other eligibility criteria and have had enough time to fully recover from surgery. The same rules apply to all surgeries, to keep you healthy and well.
- Can I donate blood or plasma if I’m taking PrEP?
Anyone on PrEP can donate plasma without a wait period. However, you can’t donate blood while you are on PrEP and for 12 months after ceasing the medication. See the sexual activity FAQ for more information.
- Want to know more?
If you have any questions about recorded sex at birth, gender and how they affect you as a donor, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to help.