This is for the person looking for an answer to this question. While on the surface what you may be seeking is just to understand how you got it and when you got it, there are several potential undercurrents of thoughts gathering … [Read more...] about Who Gave Me Herpes?
STDs
When A Partner Changes Their Mind
Hi Courtney, My boyfriend and I are going through a breakup. We dated for 3.5 years and one of his main reasons for breaking up is having to use condoms. He doesn’t have herpes, and I do. That’s some of the deepest heartache … [Read more...] about When A Partner Changes Their Mind
Just Diagnosed With Herpes—Should I Only Date People Who Have It Too?
When someone is newly diagnosed with a health condition that is contagious, I think it’s normal to have the thought of “nobody wants this.” I think about COVID, a cold, the flu, etc. The thing about those is that they take you out … [Read more...] about Just Diagnosed With Herpes—Should I Only Date People Who Have It Too?
Five Things To Ask Yourself Before Dating Someone With Herpes
Discordant relationships in the herpes community are common. According to the 2021 HSV survey conducted by Something Positive for Positive People, a 501c3 non profit dedicated to connecting people navigating herpes stigma to … [Read more...] about Five Things To Ask Yourself Before Dating Someone With Herpes
The Digital Revolution: Social Media’s Impact On STD Outreach And Sexual Health Education
Your friendly neighborhood sexual health educator here, and today, we're going to explore a topic that's as current as it is crucial. We're talking about the digital revolution and its profound impact on sexual health outreach, … [Read more...] about The Digital Revolution: Social Media’s Impact On STD Outreach And Sexual Health Education
Q&A With Dr. Laurie: Safer Sex When At Risk
HPV Contraction Q: I am male. I am vaccinated against HPV (Gardasil) but I was made aware that a previous partner of mine tested positive for a dangerous, cancer-causing form of HPV. I went to a medical clinic and they told me … [Read more...] about Q&A With Dr. Laurie: Safer Sex When At Risk
How Do I Bring Up STI Testing With A Partner?
With the epic cliffhanger of Lee and Lynn from my last article on how to respond when someone discloses a positive status to you, we left off with an exchange that ended positively. What was missing is a key element to a sexual … [Read more...] about How Do I Bring Up STI Testing With A Partner?
How Do I Respond To Someone When They Tell Me They Have Herpes?
First, I’d like to acknowledge you for being the kind of person who wants to share this personal information and trusts enough to share this. Let’s give you an applause for being not only attractive to someone but also cool enough … [Read more...] about How Do I Respond To Someone When They Tell Me They Have Herpes?
When Is The Best Time For Me To Discuss My Herpes Status With A Partner?
As mentioned in my previous article, How To Tell A Partner About Your Herpes Status, we want to start with understanding how we’re feeling about it ourselves. We know what that process looks like, and we also know that disclosing … [Read more...] about When Is The Best Time For Me To Discuss My Herpes Status With A Partner?
How Do I Tell Someone I’m Interested In That I Have Herpes?
When people ask me a question related to disclosing their herpes status to a partner, they typically want to know if they should tell them over text, over the phone, or in person. I find myself unable to answer this question … [Read more...] about How Do I Tell Someone I’m Interested In That I Have Herpes?
The Sex Education You Never Got: How To Have Safe Queer Sex
It is an unfortunate but well-known fact that public school sex education is less than satisfactory. Many of us got very little if any sex education. Those of us who did get a sex education course or lecture were often told that … [Read more...] about The Sex Education You Never Got: How To Have Safe Queer Sex
STIs Are Becoming A Problem In The Aging Population
When we think of sexually transmitted infections, we tend to think of younger people taking risks, not using condoms, etc. We definitely don’t think about our widowed granddad getting it on with multiple partners and not using … [Read more...] about STIs Are Becoming A Problem In The Aging Population