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 […]
HSV2 – Don’t Waste Time Being Depressed – STI Interviews
This reader, having initially submitted her interview via the contact form, was so inspired by her experience, she wrote a rhetorical essay about STD stigma for her college English class as well. She’s also allowing us to post her essay as part of The STI Project, and we’re stoked! We’ll be showcasing her work in […]
HSV1 – You Can Still Get Married – STI Interviews
Submitted anonymously via the contact form, this interview highlights one of the most common concerns we hear after a person is diagnosed: Now, I’ll never be able to get married. A common misconception, albeit, an understandable one considering all of the negative stigma associated with an STD, is that an STD – any kind – […]
HSV2 at 15 Years Old – A Better Outlook – STI Interviews
High school is tough enough as it is – a dysfunctional right of passage, if you will – then couple that with contracting a taboo infection, and it’s no wonder so many teens find themselves struggling to build confidence or an identity not already embroiled in socially delegated stigma. I was one of those teens, […]
HSV2 & Chlamydia – I’m Feeling Pretty Alone – STI Interviews
From our initial email exchange as a result of her anonymous submission via the contact form to the interviewee’s follow-up message describing ‘The Talk’ she had with a new beau, this reader experienced the full range of emotions that often accompanies an STD diagnosis. What’s more, from being alone literally and figuratively after her late […]
HSV2 & HPV – Learning How to Deal with a New Type of Anxiety – STI Interviews
This interviewee reached out to me directly via the contact form. After exchanging a couple of emails, she asked how she could help and/or support The STI Project, so we asked her to share her story. What follows is a remarkable and insightful look into dating with an STD, the mental battle one undergoes when […]