Thank you! It felt great to write it. I feel like I must not be the only person on here with an STD, and I really don't feel like it's something to be ashamed of.

having an STD is nothing to be ashamed of. I have a friend who was raped as a teenager and since the rapist was her first, the doctors knew that that was how she contracted herpies also. She was 13 at the time and is now in her upper 40's and has 3 children and is in a happy healthy relationship and her hubby does not have herpies they have been together for more than 20 years.

Thank you so much for this article! I'm putting together an info board about STI/STD's, testing, and stigmatization- and if you wouldn't mind- I'd like to print out this article (With your name, and the URL/where it can be found) to add to the board- if you don't mind?

That was a very intense Article. Thank you for sharing. I will share with you. I have type 2 herpes. It is actually in my hand. I have had it since I was 19, so for 6 years. I didn't actually find out what it was until I was 21. I had outbreaks on my hand but the doctors told me they had no idea! It was not until I was preg. with my daughter that I found out what it was. mine came from either being a cashier or because I used to help my friend clean up after our huge parties and had a bad habit of sticking my fingers in beer bottles to pick multiple ones up. I understand the feeling you had when you found out. And I understand the feelings towards people making jokes about STDs. You never know who you are secretly hurting just by making jokes about it...