A gay man from Boston has abstained from sex for eight months and plans to continue for another four so he can donate blood.

Under Federal Drug Administration policy, gay men in the US are not allowed to have any sexual contact for a year before donating.

In light of nationwide blood shortages, Jay Franzone, 21, will forego all sexual activity until January 2017 to demonstrate that US blood donation laws are “crazy”

The American Red Cross has issued an emergency appeal for blood and platelet donors. After receiving 39,000 fewer donations than expected in the months up to July, they said patients are in desperate need of blood.

Mr Franzone said he wanted the US to adopt a more nuanced qualification scheme for blood donors.

“My hererosexual best friend can sleep with 25 women in a month, unprotected, and go give blood," he told The Independent.

"I can’t even get a single blowjob in a year and give blood. It’s absolutely ridiculous when you compare the risk.

“The authorities are still basing this [blood donation] policy on the stigma that gay equals HIV. We know it doesn’t."

Using risk factors as guidance, experts could analyse a donor’s likelihood of having a blood-born disease more accurately than only on the basis of sexuality, Mr Franzone claimed.

“While gay and bisexal men are adversely impacted, there are other high risk groups that aren’t banned from donating,” he said.

Yet, “we would never ban black people” from giving blood, Mr Franzone said. “That’s racist."

The controversial issue of gay blood donation was brought to the fore after the shooting at an LGBT club in Orlando in June, where blood donations were urgently needed.

Following the attack, the mayor of Austin, Texas announced: “It should not be easier to buy an assault rifle than [for] a gay man to donate blood.”

Mr Franzone said the policy for homosexual blood donors helped continue the harmful idea that gay people were inferior citizens.

“It's kind of saying you are lesser than your heterosexual [counterparts],” he said.

“It’s another hurdle that LGBT people really don’t need. It perpetuates inaccurate stereotypes.”

LGBT+ rights around the globe Show all 9 1 /9 LGBT+ rights around the globe LGBT+ rights around the globe Russia Russia’s antipathy towards homosexuality has been well established following the efforts of human rights campaigners. However, while it is legal to be homosexual, LGBT couples are offered no protections from discrimination. They are also actively discriminated against by a 2013 law criminalising LGBT “propaganda” allowing the arrest of numerous Russian LGBT activists. AFP/Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Brunei Brunei recently introduced a law to make sodomy punishable by stoning to death. It was already illegal and punishable by up to 10 years in prison AFP/Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Mauritania Men who are found having sex with other men face stoning, while lesbians can be imprisoned, under Sharia law. However, the state has reportedly not executed anyone for this ‘crime’ since 1987 Alamy LGBT+ rights around the globe Sudan Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal under Sudanese law. Men can be executed on their third offence, women on their fourth Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Saudi Arabia Homosexuality and gender realignment is illegal and punishable by death, imprisonment, whipping and chemical castration Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Yemen The official position within the country is that there are no gays. LGBT inviduals, if discovered by the government, are likely to face intense pressure. Punishments range from flogging to the death penalty Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Nigeria Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal and in some northern states punishable with death by stoning. This is not a policy enacted across the entire country, although there is a prevalent anti-LGBT agenda pushed by the government. In 2007 a Pew survey established that 97% of the population felt that homosexuality should not be accepted. It is punishable by 14 years in prison Reuters LGBT+ rights around the globe Somalia Homosexuality was established as a crime in 1888 and under new Somali Penal Code established in 1973 homosexual sex can be punishable by three years in prison. A person can be put to death for being a homosexual Reuters LGBT+ rights around the globe Iraq Although same-sex relationships have been decriminalised, much of the population still suffer from intense discrimination. Additionally, in some of the country over-run by the extremist organisation Isis, LGBT individuals can face death by stoning Getty

Until last year, there was a lifetime ban on blood donation from gay men.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the new 12-month rule for gay men was based on the "best scientific evidence".

“Ultimately, the 12-month deferral window is supported by the best available scientific evidence, at this point in time, relevant to the US population," Peter Marks, the deputy director of the FDA said in a statement.

"We will continue to actively conduct research in this area and further revise our policies as new data emerge.”