Empowering People with STIs: Advocating for Inclusive Policies and Support
We need to protect and empower people with STIs beyond their relationships.
People with STIs deserve protection and a voice
•in the therapy room
•in doctor’s offices
•in healthcare policy
•in research
•in sex education
•in testing guidelines
...and more
I’ve always drove home the fact that available testing does not equate to accessible testing. That statement exemplifies the principle I am sharing here.
Many of the current laws and policies in place in the US (the CDC guidelines or laws surrounding unknown STI transmission are examples) are rooted in the hierarchal shame of STI stigma and sex that much of this country carries and upholds. They’re not inclusive. They weren’t created or informed by people with STIs, or those with insight into that population beyond a statistic or stereotype. They’re made by those in positions of power. People without comprehensive sex education or knowledge on what it’s actually like living with an STI.
How do we better support this population through policy and change? That’s what I hope to figure out.