At The TLR Foundation, we spend a lot of time talking to people aged 18 to 35 about how they could save someone’s life through stem cell donation. It’s simple. It’s powerful. And for someone with blood cancer, it might be their only hope.
But if you’re part of the LGBTQ+ community, you might have heard that you’re not allowed to donate – especially if you’ve ever been turned away from giving blood. That can feel confusing – and frankly, like a slap in the face.
So let’s clear a few things up – especially this Pride Month.
First Things First – Your Sexuality or Gender Identity Doesn’t Matter Here
You can absolutely sign up as a stem cell donor if you’re part of the LGBTQ+ community.
It doesn’t matter who you are or who you love.
As long as you’re aged 18–35 and generally healthy, you can join the Australian stem cell donor registry.
We’ve met so many people who assumed they couldn’t register because they’ve been told “no” when trying to give blood. But blood donation and stem cell donation are not the same thing – and the rules are very different.
Why Blood Donation Has Those Rules (and Why It’s Not Lifeblood’s Fault)
If you’ve tried to give blood and been told you can’t because of your sexuality or who you sleep with, you’re not imagining it.
In Australia, the rules around blood donation are set by the federal government – specifically the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) – not Lifeblood (the organisation that collects the blood).
Right now, those rules mean that gay and bi men, and some trans and gender-diverse people, are asked to wait before donating blood if they’ve had sex recently – even if they’re healthy, safe, and want to help.
Yeah… it’s outdated, it’s frustrating, and it’s not something we agree with.
But that’s blood donation. And we’re here to talk about stem cell donation.
The Good News – Stem Cell Donation Doesn’t Ask About Your Sexuality or Gender Identity
Joining the Australian Stem Cell Registry doesn’t involve needles, sexual history questions, or anything invasive.
It’s just a few simple cheek swabs.
Literally. You sign up online, get a free kit in the mail, swab the inside of your cheeks, and send it back. That’s it.
If you’re ever identified as a match for someone with blood cancer, you’ll be contacted and talked through the donation process – which in most cases is similar to a long plasma donation. You’d be helping someone who’s seriously ill, and your donation could give them a second chance at life.
There’s no judgement. No exclusion. No weird questions.
If you’ve ever searched for “How to become a stem cell donor in Australia” or “Can LGBTQ+ people join the stem cell donor registry,” we want you to know the answer is yes.
This Pride Month – We Want You to Know You’re Needed
Pride is about showing up, being seen, and being celebrated for who you are.
It’s also about recognising the communities that have too often been excluded – including from life-saving things like donating stem cells.
That’s why we created a page just for you:
www.tlr.org.au/lgbtq-community
It’s got everything you need to know about how to join the stem cell donor registry in Australia, in one place, with a few rainbow splashes thrown in for good measure. From there, you can head to the official sign-up page and order your cheek swab kit.
Earlier this year at Sydney’s Mardi Gras Fair Day, we had one of our most powerful and positive recruitment events to date. The response from the LGBTQ+ community was incredible – so many people told us they had no idea they were eligible to sign up, and were genuinely excited to learn there is something they can do. Many signed up on the spot.
The feedback was clear: this message matters. It was so well received – now we just need to get the word out.
And we need your help sharing this valuable, life-saving, inclusive message with as many people as possible.
Be the Reason Someone Gets a Second Chance
If you’re reading this and you’re 18–35, please don’t rule yourself out. Sign up. It’s simple, it’s free, and you might be the only person in the world who can help someone survive.
And if you’re over 35 or not eligible, you can still help by spreading the word, supporting our work, or encouraging your friends to register.
The more people who know the truth about stem cell donation – and how inclusive it actually is – the more lives we can save together.
This Pride Month, be a legend. Help save a life.
Visit: www.tlr.org.au/lgbtq-community