'The Gaydr' Tests Men to See If They're Straight Enough to Give Blood

@ 2026 Equal Entertainment LLC.
All rights reserved

 
        'The Gaydr' Tests Men to See If They're Straight Enough to Give Blood
      This hilarious spoof illuminates how many gay and bisexual men are still banned from donating blood.
 
     play icon        
 
 Allison Tate 
          
          Jul 03, 2018
          
Allison Tate
Allison Tate is the Director of Editorial Video at Pride Media, and creates videos for The Advocate, OUT and PRIDE. She is a filmmaker, swing dancer, and enthusiastic Carol fan who works to amplify marginalized voices in media. 
 See Full Bio   
                  Follow:
                   Allison Tate on X
LGBT activist Peter Tatchell partnered with advocacy group Screen the Blood to create a pseudo "gay detector" device called "the Gaydr." A wonderfully dry British officer scanned men on their way to a blood bank in central London and declared them 85 percent gay, 100 percent gay, or "the gayest" he's seen all day. All the discomfort of the participants leads them to a new understanding about the fact that if they were actually gay they would likely not be allowed to donate blood. Share the Gaydr video if you want to spread awareness, find out more about Screen the Blood here, and watch more videos from Peter Tatchell here.
 
        FROM OUR SPONSORS
        
        The Latest
        
National 
        Pete Hegseth declared himself safe from impeachment. Then came eight charges
      The defense secretary insists impeachment “won’t work with me.”
 
Christopher Wiggins
 
National 
        A guide to Broadway for a newly unemployed Lauren Boebert
      Because there’s so much more to see than just Beetlejuice!
 
Quispe López
Samantha Allen
 
National 
        Trump obsessed over men’s asses. Midterm voters handed Republicans theirs
      Nobody asked, Donald: The 2026 midterms brought these 11 fresh examples of the president getting creepy about men’s bodies.
 
Ariel Messman-Rucker
 
States 
        Alabama’s book censorship doesn’t stop at the children’s section. Now, authors are suing
      Three queer authors are challenging rules that threaten libraries’ funding for acquiring youth titles with trans characters, even for adult readers.
 
Jacob Ogles

 
        More For You
        
        Missouri voters roundly reject trans fearmongering, vote down abortion ban
     
Christopher Wiggins
 Nov 04, 2026 
Voters line up to vote at the Mid-County Branch public library polling place in Clayton. 

        Christian Gooden/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via Getty Images
    
        Missouri voters have rejected an amendment that would have reversed reproductive rights protections they adopted in 2024 and placed restrictions on transgender minors’ medical care in the state constitution. Keep Reading → 
 
        Joyful noise: Trans choruses are offering safe havens for singers across the U.S.
     
Desiree Guerrero
 Oct 23, 2026 
Trans Chorus of Los Angeles

        courtesy Facebook/TransChorusLA 

        As state legislators and the federal government continue to target the rights of transgender people across the country — including access to health care, obtaining IDs that align with their gender identity, and the ability to serve in the military — trans choruses are providing much-needed refuge for this marginalized community. Keep Reading → 
 
        Virginia hospitals keep legal trans youth care closed and families in the dark
     
Jack Walker
 Oct 20, 2026 
Children's Hospital of Richmond in the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center.

        Jim West/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
    
        As hospitals nationwide navigate federal investigations into their gender-affirming care programs, three major hospitals in Virginia are silent on whether they plan to reopen their programs to minors. Keep Reading → 
 
        Are trans people more susceptible to cardiovascular disease? Researchers still have questions
     
Quispe López
 Oct 19, 2026 

        Adobe Express
    
        This story originally appeared on Them.Trans people know that our unique health concerns are understudied. Just look at how many of us resort to Reddit forums as a source of anecdotal medical knowledge. Now, researchers are sounding the alarm on just how dangerous this lack of research can be for our heart health. Keep Reading → 
 
        Colorado ballot measure could leave schools to verify students’ sex, raising fears of forced genital exams
     
Desiree Guerrero
 Oct 15, 2026 
 Carlos Barquero/Envato
    
        Two propositions going to the ballot on November 3 in Colorado could threaten the lives and basic rights of transgender kids. Opponents warn that the measure could affect many other young people in the state, CBS News reports. Keep Reading → 
 
        Most Popular
        
Elections 
        Rainbow Wave 2026: See all the LGBTQ+ midterm election winners
      In addition to Senator-elect Chris Pappas, voters sent several out candidates to Washington, D.C., as well as state houses across America.
 
Dawn Ennis
 
Politics 
        Cindy Hyde-Smith blocked Scott Colom from becoming a judge for being pro-trans. Now, he might take her Senate seat
      The Republican seat might not be in danger if Scott Colom had been allowed to become a judge.
 
Mathew Rodriguez
 
Elections 
        Allison Montgomery wins race to become Alabama’s first transgender state lawmaker
      A Democrat and software engineer, Montgomery ran on a platform that prioritized affordability and divestment from corporate interests. 
 
Quispe López
 
Elections 
        Abdul El-Sayed sticks up for trans rights in heated ‘60 Minutes’ interview ahead of midterms
      He repeatedly defended individual rights and liberties in a combative conversation.
 
Jacob Ogles
 
National 
        JD Vance, who once thought he was gay before changing his name twice, suggests James Talarico is gay
      “I love you too, sir. In a totally platonic way, to be clear. I’m the vice president, not James Talarico.”
 
Delia Curtis
 
Elections 
        LGBTQ+ groups 'heartbroken' by passage of anti-trans measures amid blue wave
      The ACLU, Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD, and more respond to the anti-transgender state ballot measures tarnishing the Democratic midterm sweep. They also share their plan of action moving forward.
 
Dawn Ennis

Site Navigation

'The Gaydr' Tests Men to See If They're Straight Enough to Give Blood

This hilarious spoof illuminates how many gay and bisexual men are still banned from donating blood.

The Latest

Pete Hegseth declared himself safe from impeachment. Then came eight charges

The defense secretary insists impeachment “won’t work with me.”

A guide to Broadway for a newly unemployed Lauren Boebert

Because there’s so much more to see than just Beetlejuice!

Trump obsessed over men’s asses. Midterm voters handed Republicans theirs

Nobody asked, Donald: The 2026 midterms brought these 11 fresh examples of the president getting creepy about men’s bodies.

Alabama’s book censorship doesn’t stop at the children’s section. Now, authors are suing

Three queer authors are challenging rules that threaten libraries’ funding for acquiring youth titles with trans characters, even for adult readers.

Sustain fearless LGBTQ+ journalism.

30 expert tips for giving amazing head

Can a single infusion of immune cells suppress HIV for years?

Travel blogger pleads ‘We’re not just headlines, we’re people’ aboard hantavirus-plagued cruise ship

106 Photos of Daddy Issues Guys, Wet and Nearly Naked

Colorado voters ban trans youth surgeries that hospitals already don’t perform

More For You

Missouri voters roundly reject trans fearmongering, vote down abortion ban

Joyful noise: Trans choruses are offering safe havens for singers across the U.S.

Virginia hospitals keep legal trans youth care closed and families in the dark

Are trans people more susceptible to cardiovascular disease? Researchers still have questions

Colorado ballot measure could leave schools to verify students’ sex, raising fears of forced genital exams

Most Popular

Rainbow Wave 2026: See all the LGBTQ+ midterm election winners

In addition to Senator-elect Chris Pappas, voters sent several out candidates to Washington, D.C., as well as state houses across America.

Cindy Hyde-Smith blocked Scott Colom from becoming a judge for being pro-trans. Now, he might take her Senate seat

The Republican seat might not be in danger if Scott Colom had been allowed to become a judge.

Allison Montgomery wins race to become Alabama’s first transgender state lawmaker

A Democrat and software engineer, Montgomery ran on a platform that prioritized affordability and divestment from corporate interests.

Abdul El-Sayed sticks up for trans rights in heated ‘60 Minutes’ interview ahead of midterms

He repeatedly defended individual rights and liberties in a combative conversation.

JD Vance, who once thought he was gay before changing his name twice, suggests James Talarico is gay

“I love you too, sir. In a totally platonic way, to be clear. I’m the vice president, not James Talarico.”

LGBTQ+ groups 'heartbroken' by passage of anti-trans measures amid blue wave

The ACLU, Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD, and more respond to the anti-transgender state ballot measures tarnishing the Democratic midterm sweep. They also share their plan of action moving forward.

Latest Stories

Stay up to date with the latest in LGBTQ+ news with The Advocate’s email newsletter, in your inbox five days a week.

'The Gaydr' Tests Men to See If They're Straight Enough to Give Blood

This hilarious spoof illuminates how many gay and bisexual men are still banned from donating blood.

FROM OUR SPONSORS

The Latest

The defense secretary insists impeachment “won’t work with me.”

Because there’s so much more to see than just Beetlejuice!

Nobody asked, Donald: The 2026 midterms brought these 11 fresh examples of the president getting creepy about men’s bodies.

Three queer authors are challenging rules that threaten libraries’ funding for acquiring youth titles with trans characters, even for adult readers.

Sustain fearless LGBTQ+ journalism.

More For You

Most Popular

In addition to Senator-elect Chris Pappas, voters sent several out candidates to Washington, D.C., as well as state houses across America.

The Republican seat might not be in danger if Scott Colom had been allowed to become a judge.

A Democrat and software engineer, Montgomery ran on a platform that prioritized affordability and divestment from corporate interests.

He repeatedly defended individual rights and liberties in a combative conversation.

“I love you too, sir. In a totally platonic way, to be clear. I’m the vice president, not James Talarico.”

The ACLU, Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD, and more respond to the anti-transgender state ballot measures tarnishing the Democratic midterm sweep. They also share their plan of action moving forward.