Race, gender and the South African ‘blood wars’.

A decade into the ‘new South Africa’ a controversy erupted which centred on the racial profiling of blood donated to the South African Blood Transfusion Services, and in fact, the disposal of blood based on race. Two years later, in 2006, the ‘gay blood war’ broke out. This paper looks at these two controversies and unpacks the history that precipitated these actions. In doing so it speaks to ideas around citizenship, stigma, belonging and stereotyping as well as to the uses and abuses of scientific knowledge.