How do I respond to an STI Disclosure?
Sexual Health, Communication, and Dating with Confidence
This episode was inspired by a DM from a listener whose date told her he had genital warts. “I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. No one has ever prepared me for that moment except in middle school the teachers saying stay away from people with STIs, but like what is the correct thing to do/say???” A huge shout out and thank you to our guests for being so candid in sharing their stories with HSV and HPV. STIs are hella common and it’s super important that we’re open and honest when it comes to talking about our sexual health and being empathetic when receiving information from someone else about their status. Beyond the discussion about STIs, this episode is super powerful for anyone navigating sex and dating!
Listen to full episode :
Today’s questions
What are some of the common misconceptions about HSV and HPV?
Has COVID helped us become more mindful of community health and openly discussing our sexual health/STI status?
What is a herpes outbreak like? What can you expect if you’ve recently been diagnosed?
Can doctors determine which strain you have of HSV and/or HPV? What’s the difference and why, if at all, does it matter?
Should you ask to get tested for HPV? How about HSV?
Should you disclose your status to someone and if so, when?
What is an ideal response to being told a potential partner has an STI?
Is it okay to turn someone down who has an STI? What is a compassionate way to handle this conversation?
What is the best way to disclose your positive herpes diagnosis? Is it misleading to use the term HSV vs. herpes?
What encouragement would you give to someone who feels the need to settle because they have an STI?
How can you navigate dating with a positive diagnosis and not feel doomed?
Our guests
Melody G
Melody is an artist, educator, and the creator of WTF is HPV.
Follow Melody on Instagram
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