Manx actor Joe Locke calls for gay men blood donation U-turn

Joe Locke called for the rules to be changed in a video message

A Manx Netflix star has called for an "archaic" rule that forbids gay men from donating blood to be changed.

Joe Locke, who featured in the drama Heartstopper, made the comments in a video message played at Saturday's annual pride event.

He called on politicians to adopt UK rules allowing men who have had sex with men to give blood.

Isle of Pride committee member Clare Barber MHK supported his call for the "forever ban" to be overturned.

Since 2017 men in the UK who have not had sex with another man for three months are allowed to donate blood, with anyone with the same sexual partner for three months or more eligible to donate since last year.

Thousands of people took part in Saturday's pride event in Douglas

Saturday's Isle of Pride event saw thousands of people celebrate the island's LGBTQ+ community in the Villa Marina gardens.

In a message played to the crowd, the teenager said it was time to "bring the island one step closer on its journey to acceptance".

He said while the island had "come so far in the last 30 years", there was "still work to be done".

"The Isle of Man to this day does not allow gay men to donate blood, an archaic rule that was placed into force at the height of the AIDS pandemic," he said.

Supporting that stance, Ms Barber said it was "something that to me is an absolute no-brainer in terms of the change".

She said there was a "huge population of men" who wanted to "do something that helps other people".

"And yet for reasons that don't make any sense in a modern world they're restricted from doing so."

The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for a comment.