Understanding HPV: Myths, Facts, and Vaccine Insights
Anyone eager for me to post about HPV, now is your time✨
Yesterday, a follower mentioned me in a comment on one of @reductress’ posts (I’ve included it in the last slide of this series). The post depicts a man smiling on the phone with a headline that reads, “Newly vaccinated man still gonna give you HPV.”
Many celebrities, from Donald Trump (who @chaninicholas dubbed the “Cheeto Satan”) to Piers Morgan, have been equated to HPV, among other STIs.
Some may be asking, “what’s the problem, Emily?” Well, a lot, actually. There’s more assumption and weaponized stigma than fact at play here.
According to the @cdcgov, 85% of women and 91% of men will contract HPV after one (1) partnered sexual encounter (CDC, 2019).
HPV is undetectable in people with penises and there is currently no approved HPV test for people with penises (CDC, 2016; Park, 2021).
Yes, there are HPV vaccines. These vaccines can prevent 90% of cancers from developing (ASHA, 2021). Of the 200 types of HPV in existence, and the 40 that infect the anus and genitals, Gardasil-9 (in US) protects against 7 types of high risk HPV associated with cancer and 2 low-risk associated with genital warts (ASHA, 2021).
I’ll be posting separately about HPV vaccines, but prior to blaming someone or making a joke or engaging in humor about a stigmatized infection, please consider the many variants and outcomes of a situation—including our knowledge of HPV.
In conclusion—yeah, this dude might give you HPV. And unless he’s had symptoms or health problems, and, because of testing availability (or lack thereof) for those with penises, he likely did not even know he had it. And if he’s not your first sexual partner, there’s more than likely a chance you’ve encountered HPV well before him.