Both an HSV1 and an HSV2 diagnosis can spur a multitude of traumatic emotions when located genitally. At The STI Project, we often hear from readers that HSV1 (traditionally thought to be only an oral infection) is the ‘good’ kind of herpes, and that HSV2 is the ‘bad’ kind. But, as evidenced by this interview, countless […]
Genital Herpes & Vaginitis – My Perspective Changed – STI Interviews
A lot of folks tend to focus on the who, what, and why when diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection or disease. They want to know who they got it from, what they did (or didn’t do) to put them at risk, and why them. While it’s understandable to want answers, often, the details are […]
HSV1 – Hasn’t Changed Anything in His Eyes – STI Interviews
It’s so refreshing to read about partners and family members who remain open-minded when an STD diagnosis occurs and/or who do not treat their loved ones differently when they learn about their infection. More often than not, I find couples who have a healthy, established relationship are able to move past an STD diagnosis and […]
Herpes – My Biggest Fear is Judgment from Friends – STI Interviews
Interviews like this one remind me how important it is to continue advocating for comprehensive safer sex education. Unfortunately, it’s the norm rather than the exception that people get diagnosed and know very little about how they contracted an infection – testing, transmission, risk, you name it; most people know very little about STDs, in […]
HSV2 – Too Nervous to Touch Me – STI Interviews
It’s always a bit disheartening when I read that partners are having a hard time being intimate with someone who has an STD, in this case, HSV2. I’ve been lucky to find mates who were both interested in being sexually healthy while also keen on enjoying all types of sexual activities together. However, that is not always the case. […]
HPV & Chlamydia – I Asked to Use a Condom but Didn’t Insist – STI Interviews
This interview is a fantastic example of how people from all walks of life and with all educational backgrounds contract sexually transmitted infections. They are an inherent risk to something (intimacy/sex) that also elicits innumerable rewards. Understanding those risks and rewards is part of being sexually healthy, and, ultimately, sexually responsible. No one wants an infection […]
HPV, Trich & Chlamydia – I Wish I Could Go Back – STI Interviews
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. […]
Herpes Never Scared a Man Away – HSV1 Genitally – STI Interviews
People with STDs are often characterized as villains – individuals that should be avoided, because they’re bad people or they will only intentionally infect someone else. What’s silly about that portrayal is everyone with an STD was once someone without an STD. Rarely, does the other side of the story get explained or does a […]