Some interviews are long-winded, others are short and sweet. It’s one of the things I treasure most about the STI Interviews: their variety. We’re all so very different in our style of writing and what kind of information we share, and something about a simple interview, like this one, resonates with me. I think, maybe […]
HSV2 – It Sucks, But We Can Get Through It – STI Interviews
As if an HSV2 diagnosis isn’t enough to send someone whirling, then those who’ve you’ve entrusted with that personal information decide they should tell others about your infection. That’s enough to make anyone depressed while feeling like a true villain – a horrible, undesirable person who people should ‘watch out’ for. The problem with those […]
Genital HSV1 – I’m Not Dirty, I’m Just Unlucky – STI Interviews
One of the most common things we hear at The STI Project is the misconception that people with STDs are promiscuous. The assumption is that, unless you’ve slept with a ton of people (whatever ‘a ton’ is), you won’t contract an infection. When, actually, the number of partners you have is only one of the […]
Chlamydia – He Made Me Feel Awful – STI Interviews
Submitted anonymously via the contact form, this interview speaks to level of stigma that persists across all STD diagnosis. Largely, those misconceptions prevail because of a lack of information. Folks are unaware of how likely they are to contract an STD, and instead of taking responsibility for their sexual behavior, they blame those who have […]
HSV2 – Utterly Lost – STI Interviews
This interview speaks to one of the many reasons why we must challenge the stigma associated with contracting an STD. That someone has an STD does not mean they are a slut, promiscuous, a whore, etc. – whether they have engaged in sexual activities one time, ten times, or a hundred times. One’s sexual proclivity […]
Genital Herpes – It’s Hard to Get Out of Bed – STI Interviews
A concise and poignant interview submitted anonymously via the contact form. This full-time student shares how her genital herpes diagnosis has impacted her emotionally and has affected her relationships with family, friends, and partners. The process of simply writing about your feelings can be healing, but it’s always nice to know you’re not alone and […]
Herpes – Destroying Me Mentally – STI Interviews
Submitted anonymously via the contact form, this woman’s interview brings back so many similar emotions. While it’s been 15 years since I was first diagnosed, the shame, personal disgust, and overwhelming uncertainty about my life ahead engulfed me for so many years following my herpes diagnosis. I write a lot about how I’ve been able […]
Losing a Baby – Chlamydia, PID & Herpes – STI Interviews
After being incredibly patient with us as we went through our website remodel, this anonymous interviewee’s story is finally live – and what a harrowing story it is. Contracting an STD takes such an incredible mental toll on those who are diagnosed that we often set aside some of the physical implications. For this reader, the […]