Relationships and living with an STI/STD – in this case, HSV2 – can be complicated. No one wants to be rejected by a partner, even though it happens to everyone. However, a rejection or what feels like a rejection as a result of an infection can truly erode your self-worth because of the incredible stigma associated with […]
Genital Herpes – Finding Forgiveness – STI Interviews
From the interviewee’s doctor accusing him of cheating on his wife to the years of being unable to talk to her about outbreaks, this interviewee’s story speaks to the turmoil that can exist internally and within an intimate relationship after an STD diagnosis – in this case, genital herpes. 1. How old are you? 56 2. What do […]
Molluscum – Doesn’t Have Such a Big Stigma – STI Interviews
Molluscum contagiosum or MC is one of those borderline STIs that few people know about and that rarely gets sensationalized in the media. When children contract it, it’s not considered an STI/STD, but when adults get it, it’s almost always sexually transmitted. As such, stigma surrounding the infection is lower than some of the more […]
HSV1 – I Feel Like I Have this Flaw – STI Interviews
One of the many reasons we post others’ stories is to help erode the idea that an STI (whether temporary or long-term, and in this case, HSV1) should be looked at as something a new partner needs to get over or accept – a flaw, if you will. Sure, no one wants a cold, the […]
Chlamydia, HSV2, & HPV – It Doesn’t Bother Him – STI Interviews
It’s interviews such as this one that speak to the value of having access to resources and educational tools that support and encourage sexual health. Quite often, we’ve found that a person’s opinion about their diagnosis improves with time. For some, it takes longer than others [read: it took me years and years to overcome […]
HSV2 – I Wish I Could Go Back in Time – STI Interviews
The number one question we receive at The STI Project is, ‘Will anyone ever want to be with me again?’ Usually included is, ‘How do I date with an STD?’ ‘How do I tell a new partner?’ ‘Can I ever have casual sex or just enjoy sex again?’ The good news is that dating, sex, […]
HSV1 – You Can Lead a Fearless Life – STI Interviews
Having been imprisoned in my own shame and fear for years as well as being very brazen about my experiences now, I’ve seen both sides of the herpes closet… It wasn’t until I stepped out that I realized how severely I had been entrenched in my own stigma. It’s amazing how coming out about your past can shed an entirely […]
HSV1 & HSV2 – I Refused to Accept It – STI Interviews
Few things cause more trepidation about the future and situations that have not yet or might never take place than an STD diagnosis. The most common fear among those who are living with a long term infection is that of telling new partners and the rejection they assume is inevitable. While I cannot promise those fears […]
