The Power of Delivery: Shifting the Tone of Herpes Disclosure and STI Conversations
People often worry so much about the “perfect” herpes disclosure or a non-awkward way to bring-up STI screenings with their partners that they focus more on the content of the message than the impact of its delivery.
When educating students about STIs or disclosing to partners-in person, one’s intonation plays just an important role in delivery and reception as the overall content of the message.
If you’re disclosing to a partner, or inquiring about their STI status, it might not sound like an inherently sexy question to ask, however, shifting one’s tone and gaze can make the conversation seem natural, and maybe even sexy.
These conversations are usually difficult to have because of what we’ve been taught about STIs more generally, but there is power in reclaiming them through energy.
How one delivers a message through their language, tone, and body position factors into the reception of students and/or partners. We sense confidence, we sense fear, we sense desire. These can all play a role in our disclosures, but it’s up to us on which ones align most with who we are, how we show up, and which ones rule our disclosures.