The Stigma of STDs

Let's talk about sexually transmitted diseases and infections.

You've probably heard someone make a joke about somebody having an STD.

You've probably heard things totally inaccurately compared to STDs.

You've probably met somebody with an STD. And you probably never even knew it.

In fact, the chance you've met somebody with an STD is astronomical. Globally, 1 in 2 persons has genital herpes ( in the United States, 1 in 4 persons you've met has genital herpes).

Sexually transmitted diseases and infections are much more common than people think. Some people have contracted one of the 20+ types of STDs and they don't even know they have it. Some people contracted one or many STDs and they choose to not tell anyone (which is fine, as it's nobody's business but that person's business and the business of whomever they have any sexual encounter with). Some become infected once and are able to clear it up with medicine and they never have to worry about it after that. Some become infected and must take one or several medicines every day, so they don't become very sick. Some become infected and must take their medicine or else they will die.

The problem with our media and pop culture portraying STDs is that there is a terrible stigmatization that comes with it. There's this horribly inaccurate idea within our society has that only "sluts" get STDs and only drug addicts get AIDS, etc. None of that's true.

Moreover, not only is our society making a bad name for people with STDs, but they're making jokes about people with STDs. Not fuckin' cool.

Diseases are not a joke. Having depression is not a joke. Having diabetes is not a joke. Having epilepsy is not a joke. Have HIV/ AIDS is not a joke. Having Any STD Is Not A Fucking Joke.

And do you know why it's not a joke? Because having an STD is not funny. It's not a punchline. It's not a novelty. Contracting an STD is traumatic. It's exactly why rape is never a joke- it's painful and terrifying and serious.

Now, aside from the obvious slut- shaming (which I sincerely hope I don't have to explain why that in itself is shitty), we have got to shut down this idea that only people who sleep around get STDs. Anybody can get an STD. You already know a busload of people who have one now. There are people who have STDs because they were in long- term relationships and their partner was unfaithful. There are people who were born with STDs. There are people who have STDs from the first time they were ever in a sexual encounter. There are people who have STDs from having been raped. There are people who have STDs because someone they were sexual with either did not give a fuck about their partner, so they didn't tell them, or they never even knew they were already infected. The latter is shockingly common. Many STDs begin asymptomatic, and so the person infected doesn't even realize they've got it. All that is to say is that it's not for you to judge. That's not fair. That's not even what a decent human does.

We need to make a safe space for those infected. There are a lot of them out there, and the World we live in isn't kind to them. Living everyday with debilitating pain and weakness and shame is difficult enough, and making the space we share with them a hostile one when we make jokes and stigmatize them is not making them feel safer.