![]() There are a number of sites to choose from: H Date, HSV Singles, Meet Positives, Meet People With Herpes. ![]() However, the ignorance around it is still prevalent, so STI-focused dating apps offer an alternative solution to potential judgment from strangers. STI panels don’t even routinely screen for herpes due to the risk of false positives or negatives. Unlike chlamydia, gonorrhea, HPV, or other sexually transmitted infections, herpes doesn’t usually have serious health consequences in nonpregnant, healthy people, and medication can control outbreaks. (About half of all US adults have oral herpes caused by the virus HSV-1, which can cause painful mouth blisters or cold sores genital herpes can be caused by either HSV-1 or HSV-2.)īut despite how ubiquitous the virus is, the stigma against herpes obscures the facts about it. Genital herpes has always been a common diagnosis - about 16% of adults worldwide have genital herpes, and many do not realize they have it at all. What kind of catchphrase is that, she thought. On her phone, she downloaded the app and made herself a profile. The banner image was emblazoned with a photo of happy couples sitting by a lake. And in her hunt, she came across Positive Singles, a site that advertised itself as the “world’s largest confidential herpes & STD dating & support community.” She watched a TED Talk by sex positivity and STI advocate Ella Dawson. On Facebook, she found a herpes support group and joined it. Lying in her bed, Parton began searching for answers online. ![]() “I thought my sex life was over,” she said. ![]() She is still in college, and wanted the chance to settle into a relationship and fall in love. Parton wasn’t sure what it meant for her future. “I did not go to work that day,” she said. She had tested positive for both oral and genital herpes simplex virus. Most people in this story will only be identified by their first names to protect their privacy.Īt the end of July, Alyssa Parton, 22, received a call from her doctor. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |