The Stigma of Herpes: Why Location Doesn’t Matter
Have you ever been lied to? Whether it’s as something as simple as the tooth fairy, more complex like tattered trust in a romantic relationship or friendship, or from an authority figure (like a teacher), I think we can all agree that being deceived isn’t a moment we like to find ourselves in. We work through denial, question the relationship, and often—ourselves.
This post was inspired by one that I made about a year ago. In fact, the second slide is an exact copy of that post’s content (because I honestly can’t say it better—but I can add to it).
In this post, I’m specifically speaking to herpes infections by their location—oral and genital—which results in a more general approach, thus removing HSV-1 and HSV-2 from the conversation. My argument lies in the infection’s location, and I’ve found that adding specifics in a post like this only leads to conversations around which type is “better” to have, which further defeats the purpose and only adds to misinformation, misplaced focus, and hierarchal stigma.
If oral and genital herpes infections are SO similar, why the hell are we still stigmatizing genital herpes infections and those who have them? Why are we still shaming people based off their infection’s location? Why do we hesitate to call cold sores by their real name—herpes?
Short answer? Society, no matter how sex-saturated, is uncomfortable and undereducated when it comes to sex. And it’s not entirely its fault.
The majority of us did not have access to the amazing sex education Instagram accounts, podcasts, and YouTubers that we see today. Many educators and sexuality professionals, including myself, were victims of a sex negative education system.
And as much as I’d like to think these fear-inducing environments are a thing of the past—they’re not. Sex education isn’t mandated, and if it is, it often isn’t required to be medically accurate (check out @guttmacherinstitute for more on this). As of this moment, I fear for the future of comprehensive sex education.
While our sex miseducation isn’t necessarily our fault, our unlearning is a personal and social responsibility for ourselves and future generations.