The immense stigma associated with having an STD, and in this case, HSV2, affects not only the person who’s diagnosed but is also commonly the reason why those who transmit their infection to others flee. The stigma associated with having a sexually transmitted infection and then the shame of transmitting it to someone else can […]
HSV – No One Treats Me Differently – STI Interviews
An incredible example of how support – caring, thoughtful, and educational support – can be the difference between an emotional tailspin upon a new diagnosis and a calm, worry-free reaction. It’s never easy to share one’s story, and each person must decide with whom to share it and how to do so (anonymously, with a […]
Petition to Stop Twitter from Censoring Ads about Safer Sex
This week, one of our supporters, Lucky Bloke, launched a campaign to petition Twitter’s ban on sexual health ads, and they need your help! We also need your help, because this affects The STI Project as well. —–> Sign the Petition to Stop Twitter from Banning Sexual Health Content Here <—– Twitter has lumped ads […]
HIV – I Didn’t Know How to Internalize It – STI Interviews
I often grapple with the question, ‘Why didn’t you tell someone you had an infection?’ As someone who’s also learned the hard way when to tell someone and how to tell someone, I receive quite a number of questions from readers asking me how to overcome the overwhelming sense of denial and fear that has lead to […]
Living with Herpes – Interview with Kirsty Spraggon- Happy Hump Day Podcasts
I am pleased as punch to bring you today’s special guest, Kirsty Spraggon from KirstyTV.com! Kirsty graciously offered to be interviewed for a podcast, after having recently ‘come out’ publicly about living with herpes to her viewers, all of YouTube, and a rapt TEDx audience. Kirsty is both eloquent and inspirational, and I think you will […]
We’re Launching a New Site Design for The STI Project!
If you’re seeing this post, you’ve either come to The STI Project on the day of or on some day following our big unveil. So, welcome! After a little over a year and a half since our initial launch, we’ve received some incredible feedback, and we’re ready to invest in the next step. With the […]
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 […]