Having an STI Isn’t Dirty or Shameful, and Acting like It Is Hurts All of Us
STIs are incredibly common.
Most people will have an STI at some point in their life. Actually, most people have already had one. A huge percent of people have one right now. And you might not know it, but there’s a decent chance you have an STI.
Here’s some stats from the American Sexual Health Association:
“One in two sexually active persons will contract an STI by age 25…
Researchers estimate that at least 80% of sexually active people will have an HPV infection at some point in their lifetime…
About 1 in 2 people ages 14–49 in the U.S. are infected with HSV-1, which is the typical cause of oral herpes. However, increasing numbers of genital herpes cases are caused by HSV-1.”
These infection rates may sound high, but they’re no cause for panic. While STIs can be severe and life-changing, many are minor and easily treated.
Having an STI doesn’t make you an outsider.
STIs aren’t just transmitted by sex.
All STIs can be transmitted through sexual activity, but that doesn’t mean every instance of an STI was contracted through sex. STIs can also be passed during birth…
