An HPV diagnosis, despite being one of the most common STDs, considering 80% of all women by the age of 50 will have contracted an HPV infection at some point in their lives, can still be one of the most frightening because of the grey area surrounding testing, length of infection, treatment, and long-term risk. […]
Dear Sexologist – Can You Get an STD from a Toilet or Shower?
This guest post was written by one of our contributors, Dr. Megan Stubbs, an energetic multi-media savvy Sexologist. Reader Submitted Question Dear Sexologist, I’m a college student, and I live in a dorm with a community bathroom facility. I heard that one of the girls down the hall has an STD, and now I’m worried about […]
Should I Tell Past Partners I Have a Sexually Transmitted Infection?
Reader Submitted Question: I am in my 20’s, and I contracted HSV1 when I was a teenager. I had sexual contact with one male and had safe sex with another male, and both did not know I carried the virus then. I have struggled for the last few years with HSV1 but have a supportive family & boyfriend. […]
An Op-Ed about STD Stigma – Part 3
This essay was submitted anonymously after the author participated in the STI Interviews. This is part 3 of a 3 part series. Statistics help to show just how common STDs are. According to the CDC, genital herpes is one of the most common STDs, and in the United States, about 1 in 5 people are infected. […]
An Op-Ed about STD Stigma – Part 2
This essay was submitted anonymously after the author participated in the STI Interviews. This is part 2 of a 3 part series. The fact of the matter is, if you’re having sex, you are putting yourself at risk for an STD, and you should be getting tested for STDs. Most STDs don’t have symptoms, and the person […]
An Op-Ed about STD Stigma – Part 1
This essay was submitted anonymously after the author participated in the STI Interviews. This is part 1 of a 3 part series. Many people toss around jokes as if the only way they can get an STD is to sleep with tons of people. In high school, almost daily, girls bashed each other with names like […]
Dealing with Multiple STDs and Depression – STI Interviews
On first read, it might seem improbable someone could contract more than one STD at a time, but the reality is it’s quite common. Remember, once someone has contracted one infection, they are at a higher risk of contracting additional infections. Couple that with the inability to test for all STDs and how often they […]
Safer Sex: Are Condoms the Man’s Responsibility?!
A-HEM! (Prepare yourself: safer sex rant to follow…) Having heard a lot (a-hem, too much) of this lately, there’s one sexual health myth needing my immediate attention. Some folks, and, by some, I mean those who are in heterosexual relationships, in particular, believe it is the man’s responsibility to buy condoms or bring them along […]
